travel adventures Archives - Inspired & Strong | Making the Best of Every Day with Stacy

England

January 7, 2025 No Comments

A few months ago, My Prince had a three-day layover in England. He asked if I wanted to come over. Of course, I am a Yes, Woman so I said yes and made my way from Cleveland to London. Then I had to make my way to Cambridge via the train which was harder than I thought. I was so glad people there spoke English but with their heavy British accents it was hard to understand!

My flight landed before he did, so I had a few hours to work out, relax, and freshen up. When he and his crew arrived, we headed out to see a bit of the town and have a drink at the Eagle Bar, an aviation bar for the Royal Air Force. We found a table even though it was pretty crowded with the college “kids.”

We found out soon enough that Cambridge (although a college town) was not a party town. The bars and restaurants closed early. We were kicked out around midnight and had to find a bite to eat as the guys were starving after their flight.

We found a delicious Mediterranean place called Gardenia and got a kabob. Along the way, we passed the Corpus Clock, which is a cricket that keeps time by clicking. So pretty. We went back to the hotel to eat and have another beverage. The hotel, called “Hotel Graduate” is one of the cutest hotels I have stayed in. It had a nice bar and a lounging area with a fireplace where guests could hang out. If you are in the Cambridge area you need to check it out.

The next day My Valentine and I took the train to London. We had tickets to Buckingham Palace and wanted to see all the touristy sights. We walked around without much direction but stumbled upon the places we were supposed to see including Big Ben, Parliament, Hyde Park, the Borough Market, and Dishoom, an amazing Indian place for dinner.

Outside our hotel was a boat that was turned into a bar called Tamesis Dock, which was really fun. They had live music so we had a drink and listened for a bit. That night Ohio State was playing so we had to get back to the hotel to watch the game. It was a late night game in the United States and even later in London. Needless to say, I fell asleep about halftime.

The next day, we walked and walked. Our goal was to find a good brunch place and the London Bridge. We did both. After a few pics of the bridge and the infamous telephone booths, we meandered back towards the hotel hitting a few stops on the way.

By the time we got back to Cambridge, it was dark. The English delicacy of fish and chips was not appealing to us so we decided on Thai for dinner. We then hit a few local pubs, including The Pickerel Inn (debated as one of the oldest pubs in Cambridge 1608), and called it a night.

The next day I was on the train back to London to catch my flight to the United States. I flew standby and there was a long list of standby passengers. Many of them had been bumped the day before. I didn’t think I was going to make it but somehow, they called my name and I was on! Thank God. I didn’t want to spend the night at the airport in London by myself.

I love exploring different countries and cultures. I love that we can go to other countries and not have to rent a car; we can take a train and get anywhere we need to be. I also love how clean the trains and cities are.
We had a wonderful time in England. It is very pretty, and I love the old architecture. Walking by the river was amazing and all the bridges were beautiful. I definitely would like to go back and explore more.

In Family

Christmas Eve Wigilia

December 24, 2024 No Comments

Christmas Eve is when My Rock and I celebrate with my family. It has been a tradition since I was little to celebrate the Polish tradition of Wigilia on Christmas Eve. We always helped Gram, Our Matriarch make pierogies the day before. Then they would chill in the garage because it was always cold enough in northwest Pennsylvania to leave them there. Traditionally, we would make potato and sauerkraut, mushroom, and cottage cheese. Eventually, we started cheating a bit and added in cheddar cheese and bacon pierogies, even though you are not supposed to eat meat on Christmas Eve.

Our Wigilia dinner is supposed to have 12 dishes to symbolize the 12 apostles although I don’t remember eating 12 things. We always had cream of mushroom soup, haddock, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, and pie for dessert. But my memory may be fading so those dishes may have been on Christmas Day as well! We all loved Red Lobster, so at some point we added in shrimp scampi and even lobster tails for a few years.

Before we eat we go around to each person breaking the opłatek, which is a Christmas wafer to symbolize the gift of daily bread. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Wikipedia also states “there is in places a belief that whatever happens on Wigilia affects the incoming year; if a quarrel should arise, it foretells a quarrelsome and troublesome year.” Let’s hope that everyone has a peaceful day and no quarrels arise.

I always remember on Christmas morning my sister and I would wake up super early and head downstairs, wide-eyed to see the beautiful tree and all the gifts from Santa. I love waking up to Christmas tree lights. It’s my absolute favorite. We couldn’t open gifts until Gram and Gramps got there, which usually didn’t take long as they were only two blocks away.

After our gifts, we would get dressed and head up to my grandparents. We would eat the traditional Polish breakfast of kielbasa and eggs. Then we would finally get to open gifts at Gram’s.

As I am sure most kids did, we played with toys, tried on new clothes, and celebrated with family. But we also went up to the Alliance College gym and jumped on the trampoline or played basketball. I was obsessed when I was little.

Since 2012 most of our Christmases have been in Virginia. My sister had given birth to my niece and I lived there as well. Dad had passed, therefore mom would drive my grandparents down to Virginia. After Christmas, they would continue to Fort Myers to Gram’s Condo.

Although we continue to celebrate in Virginia with the kids, life has changed. We no longer have my grandparents or my sister but we have a bonus family of my brother-in-law’s girlfriend and her three children. We celebrate Wigilia at my mom’s and then head to church. We finally get to open presents on Christmas Eve (which I always wanted to do!).

Whatever your holiday traditions are I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve and a Merry Christmas! I hope Santa is good to you this year.

In Travel Junkie

Ireland

September 17, 2024 No Comments

It appears we like to travel on my husband’s birthday. My Prince and I celebrated his 50th birthday in the Windy City five years ago. We had an amazing time exploring Chicago and enjoying a Cubs baseball game from a rooftop across from the stadium. We had a delicious steak dinner at The Chophouse, where My Heart proposed to me in front of about 40 of our closest friends and family. It was unforgettable. This year, we celebrated double nickels in Ireland with close friends and their Irish family. It was an Irish vacation unlike any other.

We flew into Dublin and discovered they have Ubers which are taxis you can get right from the airport. They speak English with a hefty Irish accent, but being surrounded by other English-speaking folks was nice. One major difference is they drive on the left-hand side of the road, which can take some getting used to, especially as a pedestrian. You definitely need to go back to your years of youth where your mom told you to look both ways before crossing the street.

My Valentine started an “old man” push-up challenge on March 1 with a goal of doing 100 push-ups on his 55th birthday. March first started with one push-up. Then two the next day. Then three and so on. We landed on June 6th therefore he had 98 pushups to do, and I had 98 lunges to do (issues with my neck and shoulder). We did them right there in the lobby of the Dublin Skylon because our room was not available yet. We washed up as best we could after our all-nighter and changed clothes before heading out and getting accustomed to the new time zone.

We walked around and got a bite to eat. Then headed to the Guinness Brewery for our tour. We made a few stops along the way, including the iconic Temple Bar to sightsee and have a beer. I never really wanted to try Guinness beer in the United States but I had to in Ireland. I think the dark color scared me but after the tour and some tastings, I decided I liked it. They also had an apple cider I liked a lot as well.

Dublin was great. It was a Thursday afternoon and everyone was in the bar singing along and happy. Live music was everywhere. It was a bit chilly and a little drizzly but still a great day.

Our friends picked us up at the Guinness brewery later that afternoon, and we went back to the hotel to check in and freshen up. We met across the street at a bar called the Ivy House for a beer and then walked to Fagan’s Pub. It was really cute and we had some great food. Little did we know, most beef in Ireland is raised there on the island and is of high quality, unlike “pub food” in the US. I expected to have a delicious reuben but they weren’t even on the menu. Crazy. But they had other Irish food to try. Afterward, we ended up at The Cobblestone. We randomly ran into another friend from ski weeks who happened to be in Dublin for the weekend. After a few shots and beers (as sweet Gram always wanted), we decided to call it a night.

The next day we had breakfast at Restaurant 104 and headed up to Drumkeeran which is about a two-hour drive. We went there because our friend’s grandfather was a famous flutist, and they have a music festival every year in his honor. We met a cousin of our dear friend Ellen and a few other distant relatives. Everyone in the town knew her grandfather’s story and was excited to have his American family in town to celebrate.

We spent two days in Drumkeeran in a beautiful lodge resort called the Drumhiery Woodland Hideaway. If you need a relaxing, peaceful getaway this is the place to go. It was beautiful. I wish we would have had more time there. It would have been the perfect place to sit out by the fire, listen to nature, and enjoy each other’s company.

We hit all four of the pubs that are in Drumkeeran (a couple of times) and the one restaurant called Laura’s Cafe. We celebrated Jeff’s birthday with baby Guinness shots at midnight on Friday and then with a cake the next day at the family home. We had breakfast at the Drumshambo Gin Distillery which was beautiful and delicious. The festival was great. We listened to a lot of fun Irish music. Instead of having a stage, musicians sit in the corner of the bar and have what they call “a session”. Anyone can join the band, and they play songs everyone knows. The talent of the young children and families was astonishing. It made me wish my family had a few more Polish traditions especially those that involved music or playing instruments.

We then returned to Dublin where my hubby and I continued our tour around Dublin. We stayed at the Wren Urban Nest, which was a cute boutique hotel. The room was pretty tiny but it was really nice and the staff was friendly. Even though it was raining, we explored some more of Dublin. We had to see more of the pubs including The Brazen Head (Ireland’s oldest pub est 1198), The Norseman, and the Temple Bar again. We also picked up a few souvenirs.

Overall, we had an amazing time in Ireland. It was so green because of all the rain. We will most likely go back to check out some castles and the Irish coastline. I believe there is much more to do and see in Ireland and I don’t want to miss it! And yes, Jeff did finish his “challenge” and completed 99 pushups on the 7th and 100 pushups on his 55th birthday (for a total of 5050 for the 100 previous days).

In Family

Toxic Relationships

August 20, 2024 No Comments

Why is it that people keep going back to toxic relationships? If a significant other, family member, or friend treats you with disrespect and/or rage, then why stay in that relationship? Why keep interacting with that person when the same thing keeps happening? Isn’t that the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome?

My Valentine and I try to live our lives with the least amount of stress and the most amount of fun. Yes, sometimes we don’t make the best decisions. We stay up too late when we know we have important things to do in the morning, travel too much, and therefore sometimes don’t foster the relationships we have in one area, and are too much alike to stop each other from making some not-so-good decisions. But we usually do these things because we are having so much fun at the moment. In the end, we rarely regret the late nights and the fun we have with our amazing friends and family. And maybe some people would call that toxic, while we call it life.

But I guess I am talking about how when other people are not happy in their own lives, or within themselves, they take it out on you. Because they are in a sad state because of a situation and their negative reaction to it, they find you an easy target. They know they can disrespect you and you will keep on taking it. You will call them back. You will forgive and forget. You will move on like nothing happened. And half the time they don’t even admit they were wrong. And why? Because you understand that they were in a bad space and that it truly wasn’t personal against you. You know they didn’t mean what they said or did. So you are able to move on because you have learned through your own self-help articles and therapy that many people lash out because of what is going on inside of them. You know it rarely has anything to do with you. And even though you know all of this in your head it still can make you sad sometimes.

Toxic people are tough. They are your family or very good friends. They have been with you through thick and thin. You have good times with them. You laugh with them. You find hope that finally the situation will turn around. But somehow something happens that triggers the negative response. And because you are a healthy person inside you understand their toxic ways. But because you understand them and try not to take their rudeness to heart, does that mean you need to continue to put up with it? Because they are in a bad place does not give them the right to take it out on you when you have done nothing wrong.

It’s hard because many times these toxic relationships start with jealousy and envy. Their lives didn’t turn out the way they had planned or were hoping and because you have some of what they don’t, they feel like they can be angry with you. Instead of taking responsibility, helping themselves, and figuring out how to improve their lives, they want everyone around them to feel worse. Toxic people have a way of seeing the world negatively and they believe their life sucks. (Please read this article.) They can’t seem to figure out that:

“Life is amazing. Even when it sucks, it is amazing, and we should be grateful for every moment.”

— Hal Elrod

I know it’s tough, and I give credit to those of you who have cut the toxic relationships out of your life. You are very strong people! To those of you living with toxic relationships, I hope you know it isn’t about you. I hope you can see what a wonderful person you are and what a wonderful person your loved one is (if only they could see it in themselves). I hope you can lift yourself up, and I hope you don’t pass the toxicity on to other happy people in your life.

Photo by Obie Fernandez on Unsplash

In Weekly Wednesday Words

Life

July 31, 2024 No Comments

I have said it many times. Love this life. It’s the only one you have. Choose to live it well.

“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”

– Bob Marley

Photo by Federico Fioravanti on Unsplash

In Pilot's Wife

My Perfect Life

July 2, 2024 No Comments

As you read in one of my recent posts, several people have said they live vicariously through us. They love seeing our pictures and our adventures, and they can’t wait to see where we will be going next. Most people wonder where we get the energy. And sometimes I wonder that myself!

At my #LEGS Christmas party a friend of mine said, “I love seeing all your pictures. You have the “perfect” life.” I was flattered, but I hope everyone knows our life is not perfect. No one’s life is perfect. And what is perfect anyway?

I do have to say that our life is “perfect” for us. We are lucky because we both love the crazy, gypsy, never-home lifestyle we lead. If one of us was a homebody, it wouldn’t work. If one of us was an introvert, it wouldn’t work. But we love being on the go. We love seeing new places and trying new things. We love our homes that we are blessed to have. We also have amazing friends and family that make the places we visit feel like “home.”

I am flattered that people have told me they love our lives, and they are happy for us. We work hard to be able to play hard. We work hard at our marriage to make it work. We communicate with each other to make sure we are on the same page. Of course, we have disagreements and sometimes we lose patience and get annoyed with one another. But we know that marriage is hard, and we want to make sure each other’s buckets are full (Read the post “The Five Love Languages” if you don’t know what I am talking about). Therefore, we need to check in and make sure both of us are enjoying where we are, what we are doing, and where we are going. Unpacking and repacking a few days later can strain a marriage. Being out of our workout and eating routine can also be frustrating. We realize our eating habits must be on point while we are running around.

My Valentine and I just celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. Every year we have been together, I have made an 8×8 photo book of our year in review from Snapfish. Usually, the books are about 50 pages long. This year we had so many adventures and so much fun it was almost 90 pages!! I guess I took a lot of pictures and didn’t want to leave anything out. Going through the photographs of the past year was eye-opening. Remembering all the good times and the special memories with the people we love was amazing. I enjoy making these books because they make me go back and review our year. What did we do? Who did we meet? Who did we spend time with? Where did we go? It’s wonderful to look at all the pictures and live it again vicariously.

Our life is not for everyone. Yes, it may look amazing on Facebook and other social media as do a lot of people’s lives. But remember social media isn’t always true. Most of the time, people are putting on a front. They want others to think their life is “perfect“. They want others to believe they are happy and have no problems. We don’t truly know what’s going on in other people’s lives so give people grace. And PLEASE DON’T COMPARE your life to theirs. Everyone is on their own journey.

As I said our life is “perfect” for us. It’s what we have chosen. Some people don’t want to unpack and repack in the same week. Some people hate packing altogether. Some people don’t want to race from gate to gate to try to catch a standby flight. Some people don’t want to be away from the gym or their home for an extended period. Some people don’t want to go out of their comfort zone or out of their hometown. And guess what? That is okay. Our life is not for everyone. Whatever you choose for your life, make it perfect for YOU!

In Travel Junkie

Italy

June 4, 2024 No Comments

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I quit my job as Coordinator of Special Education to teach English in Thailand in the fall of 2015. I have already written posts about my journeys through Germany, Finland, Sweden, and The Netherlands. (Reread those posts…it’s been a while). But my European adventure continued… in Italy.

My friend, Erin, and I left Susana and her family in Utrecht, Holland, and headed to the airport. There we got on a plane and headed to Rome. Erin had some hotel points so we stayed at the Boscolo Hotel. From there, we were able to walk to all of the touristy spots. They were doing construction at the Trevi Fountain so I didn’t get to see the real thing, which is very disappointing as it looked beautiful. We toured the Coliseum, Spanish Steps, and the Vatican. We went up in the tower at the Vatican which was pretty sureal. Then we ate pizza and drank Italian wine in a town square. We walked around and went to many little shops and restaurants. We enjoyed the nightlife and met random people along the way. Here is a great site if you want to visit Rome. I liked Rome a lot, but it was very busy.

After two days in Rome, we rented a car and drove up through the beautiful Tuscany hillside. We had so much fun navigating the countryside. We stopped at the Tenuta Toriciano Winery for wine tasting and amazing lasagna with homemade truffle oil. I still think about that lasagna and the delicious truffle oil. We met a wonderful family from Pennsylvania who was also enjoying the afternoon at the winery. Of course, they were Steelers fans! I would love to go back there.

It was a beautiful day so we carried on our way driving our little stick shift car and singing as loud as we could along the hillside. We found a little hotel in the middle of Tuscany and stopped for dinner. I believe we were in Sovicille. It was so cute we decided to stay the night. The food was wonderful and the views were breathtaking. Our room was huge, and I remember thinking what a beautiful place to stumble upon.

The next day we made our way to Venice. We got there late at night so we couldn’t see much. We walked around for a long time because we could not find our place. Finally, we found our AirBnB and got settled. The next day we did more sightseeing. We walked around the beautiful city and took a gondola ride through the canals. I remember thinking I wish I had a boyfriend or husband to bring here. What a romantic city. Maybe My Prince and I will go back someday.

That evening we left for Lake Como. It was a beautiful ride and Lake Como is an amazing place. By the time we got there, it was dark therefore I didn’t get to see much. We met some fun people at the hotel bar. We had a lot of laughs and went to bed. I took an early train the next morning to Lausanne, Switzerland to meet up with more friends. It was time for my next adventure!

Overall, Italy was a beautiful place to visit. I don’t know if I would go to Rome again but I would love to go back to Venice, Lake Como, Florence, and the Tuscany region.

In Travel Junkie

Vicariously

March 26, 2024 No Comments

As you all know My Prince and I travel A LOT! It seems we are Never Home, and if we are home, we have company. Some people think it’s amazing while others are exhausted just looking at our pictures and reading my posts. Other people don’t understand why we can’t stay in one place for any length of time. Sometimes we feel like we are being pulled in so many different directions. It seems that everything seems to happen on the same day. Having the FOMO (fear of missing out) that I have, I wish there was a way to be in about three places at one time!

We have had several people say they live vicariously through us. They love seeing our pictures and our adventures. They are always looking forward to see where we are going next. Some say they don’t have to travel because we do it for them. Many are excited that they get to see different places without going anywhere.

My Rock and I love traveling. We love our experiences, the people we meet, and the sites we get to see. We travel at least once a month if not more. Sometimes to Virginia to visit family and sometimes to different destinations to go skiing. Even though my hubby flies for work he still enjoys the personal adventure of the places we get to go. We are blessed to have flight benefits through his work, therefore, we can travel for less money. The problem is sometimes we have to run from one gate to another to try to catch that flight home. Or we have to stay an extra day because the flights are full. These are the frustrating things people don’t see. And sometimes it can make for a very long day. I just try to see it as an added adventure. It’s always fun to see where we will end up 🙂

Over the Christmas holiday, My Valentine and I were talking with his brother. We were talking about the new virtual reality glasses and how real they make everything look and feel. I am not sure how I feel about this new phenomenon. Yes, you can travel vicariously to the Eiffel Tower without ever leaving your couch, but is it the same as actually climbing those steps to the top? I guess I like the idea of the glasses for those who are limited by physical or mental impairments and cannot travel. To see them would probably be very cool. But I am nervous about the impact it will have on our society. Will people quit traveling? Will people quit interacting with others? Will people lose their desire to see the world? If you wear these glasses you don’t have to go anywhere, walk anywhere, or do anything. You just feel like you are wherever you want to be. I would rather see things with my own eyes, be there in my own spirit, and feel the real world around me, but maybe I am different.

My husband and I just spent 18 days in Europe. We went skiing in Chamonix, France, Zermatt, and Lenzerheide, Switzerland, and then ended with three days in Zurich, Switzerland. We were amazed by the wondrous mountains and the amazing views. We skied for 10 days with beautiful scenic drives in between ski towns. What a beautiful countryside. Once in Zurich, we walked thousands of steps, trying different shops, and going to different restaurants. I couldn’t imagine doing this vicariously through some virtual reality glasses and not being there in person.

I know living vicariously through other people or glasses can be fun. I love seeing pictures from other people’s travels. But I grew up with a desire to see the world. I want to BE in as many places as I can and EXPERIENCE as many different worlds and cultures as possible. I hope if you have a place you would like to go to you find a way to take that trip. Don’t wait for the right time or wait to have the right amount of money. Where there is a will there is a way. Make it happen and turn the vicarious into reality!

In Pilot's Wife

Eating in the Airport

March 12, 2024 No Comments

As you know My Rock and I travel A LOT. And many people wonder how we stay in shape while we are almost always on the go. We can’t always work out so we need to make a conscious effort to eat healthy while we are running around.

Depending on how you travel there are many options. If you drive, you can pack a cooler and stop at different restaurants along the way. We love looking up local restaurants and sitting down for a nice meal when we drive. If you fly, which airport you are flying into and how much time you have can make a difference in what you choose to eat. Many people go for the fast food chains they know and love in the airport. I believe this is for several reasons. One, they think it’s cheaper than any other option. Two, they know what is available and how it will taste. Three, many people are afraid of trying different foods.

If you have a little bit of time, look for different restaurants. There are some very cool and different restaurants in the airport terminal. There are several options from Asian, Belgian, English, Irish, and American. If you are adventurous, try something new! Many times the lines here are shorter as you see here at Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh (in the Denver airport, which was packed).

Fast food restaurants in airports can often be tempting, but it’s important to make better nutritional choices to maintain a healthy diet. Jersey Mike’s has healthier options than fried foods. Chipotle is a healthier option. Some of them even have cauliflower rice. Most airports have some type of Asian restaurant where you can get a poke bowl or sushi. Most airports have a Tropical Smoothie where you can get a smoothie and add protein to it. They even have some good sandwiches you can try. You can even make good choices at Starbucks by getting a black coffee or putting honey or almond milk in it for a sweetener. The egg bites are the best choice there or an egg sandwich with no bread. Again, eating is all about making choices. As you can see the line at Chick-fil-A is super long!

Here are some tips for making healthier choices at restaurants in airports (or on the Road) in the United States:

Look for healthier options: Many fast food restaurants now offer healthier menu items. Look for options that are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. Choose grilled or baked options instead of fried, and opt for salads or vegetable-based dishes instead of fries or onion rings.
Avoid sugary drinks: Instead of reaching for a soda or sugary beverage, choose water, unsweetened tea, or a low-calorie drink option. Sugary drinks can add unnecessary calories and contribute to weight gain.
Control portion sizes: Fast food restaurants often serve large portions, which can lead to overeating. Try to choose smaller portion sizes or share a meal with a travel companion to avoid consuming excess calories. Or eat half and save the other half for later. You can take it on the plane or put it in your cooler.
Add more vegetables: If possible, ask for extra vegetables or a side salad with your meal. Adding more vegetables to your meal can increase the nutritional value and help you feel more satisfied.
Limit condiments and dressings: Condiments and dressings can be high in calories, fat, and sodium. Opt for lighter options such as mustard, salsa, or vinegar-based dressings, and use them sparingly. If possible stick with olive oil based dressings.
Plan: If you know you’ll be traveling through an airport with limited healthy options, consider packing your own snacks or meals. This way, you can ensure you have nutritious options available. It’s easy to pack protein powder and a water bottle. Apples, nuts, and protein bars are easy snacks to take along.

If you don’t travel often you may not know what you can bring a water bottle through security. You can empty it before going through TSA. After you are through you can fill it back up at the water fountain. Most airports have water bottle refilling stations now. Something else you can do is bring food and snacks. Most food is security friendly. Just be careful with hummus, yogurt, or liquidy-type foods if over the three-ounce limit.

Again, traveling can be tricky but making a conscious effort can help you keep your calories down. Here is a list of some of our favorite snacks when we travel:

Quest or Barbella protein bars
Homemade chicken or turkey apple sausage
Hard-boiled eggs
Rotisserie chicken
Salt and vinegar pistachios or mixed nuts
Carrots and cucumbers
Protein powder you can add to water
Apples

Remember, making healthier choices at any restaurant is all about balance. It’s okay to indulge occasionally but try to make the majority of your choices focused on nutritious options.

Photo by Ivan Shimko on Unsplash

In Adventures with Gram

Ups And Downs

February 24, 2024 No Comments

Hi Gram,

Three years ago today, we said goodbye. So many ups and downs since then. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday I was driving you and Gramps home from Virginia after his month-long stay in the hospital. We lost him just a week later on February 4th. I can’t believe that was eight years ago. I miss his big belly laugh so much. He was so full of life. I wish there was a way to know him as I did as my Grandpa but also if I could go back in time and know him as a young adult. I think he would have been a very interesting young man to know as My Prince and I hear many, many stories of “Coach” from his former players and friends.

After Gramps passed away, we had a lot of fun didn’t we, Sweet Gram? I miss our times together. Even though we had many ups and downs, overall I had the best time living with you and taking care of you. I can’t believe it has been three years since we lost you. I think about all of our adventures often, and we talk about them all the time with others who remember you and others who never had the chance to meet you.

My first summer back in my hometown we did a few updates to your house including a new roof, new floors, new carpet, and some outside landscaping. We made several fires as we always needed to take the chill off. We napped during the day anytime we wanted to. We drove to softball games so you could see me help coach my alma mater’s team. We also found as many ice cream joints as we could. We zipped around in my little EOS convertible without a care in the world. (I am sure you know I am now on my fourth EOS 🙂 It’s blue and beautiful.)

We had so much fun driving up and down the East Coast visiting the family in Virginia and your condo in Fort Myers. Those first two years we were together were full of so many ups and downs. We learned that my sister had the dreaded C word. Then a few months later, while we were in Fort Myers, we met the man who would become my forever Valentine. You liked him so much and he must have liked us, too. As you can see lots of ups and downs.

The next year we lost the sweetest, kindest soul, my sister. It was a shock that her battle with cancer only lasted 18 months. I couldn’t believe she was gone. It was one of the hardest times in my life. I was blessed to have you, my friends, and My Prince to support me through the grief.

Later that year, we moved to Florida to be with My Rock. We continued driving up and down the East Coast but now we were a trio. The next year your health declined a bit but My Heart and I got engaged and married. More ups and downs for sure.

We continued our adventures together. We watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. We sat by the pool and took you on the boat. We visited friends and family. We even took you hiking and out to the mountains of Colorado. Sometimes you didn’t want to go but after some arm twisting you were all smiles and at the end of the night you thanked us for such a good time.

Gram, life is so full of ups and downs. I guess we need the downs to appreciate the ups. I don’t know. I loved all of our ups and downs together and miss you like crazy. I know when the rest of us get to Heaven it will seem like no time has passed. Until then those of us down here will keep having our ups and downs on this journey we call life.