A Leisurely Lunch

On my calendar for the past few weeks, there was a note for today that said "Lunch w/Carol 11:30 - 1:30." We met at the lovely and delicious Volare in Oakbrook Terrace. We talked and had lunch and talked and had dessert and talked until 1:30 2:30 3:30 4:30! Yes, we sat there sharing, laughing, reminiscing, and catching up on our busy lives for five hours! We were both shocked when we saw what time it was as we got into our cars.

We worked together for nearly ten years and it is so rewarding to find that we have even more to chat about after leaving the office that brought us together. That's not always the case with workplace friends.

Lovin' Life ~~ And Leisurely Lunches

Happy Anniversary To Us!

One year ago today, Rich and I both retired. The next day I posted this blog entry titled Happy Trails. Today we are nearing the end of our fifth long RV trip since retirement. Here's a look back through our Meanderings of the past year via links to some of our favorite posts.

The August before retirement, we had purchased this Class C motorhome with thoughts of traveling after we retired. A big part of this decision was that RVing would be the only way we could travel and take 'the girls' along. Whether or not this would be our cup 'o tea was a huge unknown.

We traveled to Florida's Key West just days after retiring for a week of sun and a perfect introduction to whiling away the days in total relaxation. On the way to Florida we made the first of many happy accidental discoveries when we meandered away from our first RV Park to check out the little Georgia town of Juliette and had lunch at The Whistle Stop Cafe. Since then we have often left the beaten path and found unpredicted, unplanned jewels.

Another high point of that first trip was experienced on our way home from Key West. By chance we stopped in Panama City Beach, FL. By chance, because we are not particularly "beach people." By chance, we were there when the shallow waters of the beach were being frequented with schools of Bluntnose Stingrays. They swam languorously and very near us in the ocean...an amazing experience, purely by chance!

That first, month-long trip left us ravenous for more; we were bitten badly by the RVing bug.

Our second major trip was so amazing that there is only one post of it! Our three precious grandkids were here for 2 1/2 weeks in June. We were so busy make beautiful memories together that, out of many different activities and miles traveled and visits with family and more than 2,600 photos, I discovered today that this post of our Trip to Indianapolis is the only one.

After staying home for most of July we headed for the Pacific Northwest on our third trip, returning in early September. What a trip! By then I was in full photo/posting mode so it's difficult to pick just a couple to link. Our week near my beloved Grand Tetons and Yellowstone before heading to Montana was filled with scenery and wildlife. We visited Holland Lake, north of Missoula several years ago and had longed to return. We spent a beautiful and relaxing few days there before heading on to Spokane, WA.

Quite unexpectedly, while in Spokane we found a Class A motorhome that met most of the items on our dream list and traded for it on the spot. We had spent enough time on the road by then to know that our travels would be greatly enhanced with some additional features.

  

Our original destination for this trip was Seattle where we spent a glorious week. Along the way, we meandered sideways once again to a spot that was special to us Roslyn, WA.

While in Seattle we visited Sandee's high school BFF and her family in addition to soaking in the beautiful scenery and city. I picked this post to represent our time in Seattle. After leaving Seattle, we didn't spend much time in Oregon because we wanted to visit Hell's Canyon in Idaho which was spectacular. Between there and Flaming Gorge in Wyoming I posted these photos of our long driving day through the Three States which included Utah.

After about three weeks at home in September, we headed west to see the kids on our fourth trip. It was their fall break from school so we loaded them into the RV and headed to the Four Corners Monument. Not satisfied with them just standing in those four states on a medallion, we wanted them to actually experience some of New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah as well as the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, and Monument Valley in their own state of Arizona. This was a great trip and we all had a blast! I do want to post this one photo of Trout Lake taken on our drive to Telluride, CO. The night before, the Rockies had received this first snowfall of the year. This is my idea of what heaven will look like.

On the way to Arizona we had visited Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo, TX; while in Arizona we enjoyed many other activities with our grands; and on the way home from there we enjoyed our stay in Oklahoma City, OK among many other highlights along the way. While in OKC we visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the Museum of Art, and Route 66 Park with it's rendition of The Mother Road. Having grown up in a small midwestern town along old Route 66, I especially enjoyed seeing many of the historic sights along it on this trip.

Early in November we had to winterize the RV and store it for what turned out to be a very long, very cold, very snowy winter. I loved it...I love the cold, I love the snow, I did not love staying home all winter though. I was ready to rock and roll by March 10th when we left on this, our fifth trip. Since you're reading this post, you have likely been following along for these past seven weeks. Therefore, I'm just going to post a few favorite photos...

Remember Roswell, NM with its aliens (see photo above...haha) and its fabulous Museum of Modern Art?

Remember our visit to the White Sands National Monument?

Remember our day with the kids at Amazing Jakes?

Remember our day at the Goldfield Ghost Town?

On our trip to Tucson we visited the Botanical Gardens...

...and the Children's Museum...

...and the Waffle House...

...and the Pima Air and Space Museum! While staying at their house we loved all the time spent together at hockey games, swimming, baseball games, bracelet making, Farkle and Domino games, musical instruments, back to school, homework, and so much snuggling!!!


Before we knew it, we were back on the road again.

The Organ Mountains overlooking Las Cruces and Mesilla, New Mexico.

An incredible eleven days in San Antonio during Fiesta!

Taking "the Girls" for a walk in the surf on Galveston Island.

A few days in Hot Springs, Arkansas where we enjoyed some of its natural beauty before the vast number of tornadoes invaded much of the country.

A quick dinner at our favorite place on Beale Street in Memphis, TN in between huddling in safe rooms due to tornado warnings.









And then driving through storms all day on the final leg into Illinois a couple of days ago.

We are spending a few days visiting my mom and staying at my brother and SIL's before driving on home.

This has been the most incredible year of my life because I never dreamed that we would someday have the opportunity to travel so extensively and be on the road for several weeks each trip. In addition to our travels, there have been many special times shared with family and friends at home this year.

I want to send a special thank you to our next-door BFFs, Vic and Sandee, who have taken care of so many things on the home front for us when we've been gone. Thanks to all of you, too, for following our Meanderings on this blog. I love taking all these photos and writing this blog but it's even more enjoyable knowing that you all are reading it.

Lovin' Life ~~ And Our Amazing First Year of Retirement

Bev

Tabloid Weather Or Not???

Around our house we refer to much of what the weather forecasters predict as Tabloid Weather Reporting. They are most often extremely exaggerated ~ but one can only know that with the perfect vision of hindsight.

Today the news is "Life Threatening Blizzard on Its Way to Chicago" ~ "Top Ten Winter Storm in History" ~ "Chicago Prepares for the Worst" ~ "Up to Two Feet of Snow and Fifty Mile Per Hour Winds" ~ hmmmm, time will soon tell.

I predict five inches of snow with moderate winds using a forecasting model pulled right outa my ear...teehee!

Still, we have prepared. I had errands and shopping to do today; I freely admit to laying in extra groceries in case the weather reports are on target this time. And I was certainly not alone.

Both grocery stores I shopped at were crowded with shoppers. Surprisingly, everyone seemed to be in a jolly mood, much like the holidays. Even though the aisles were crowded and the shelves laid bare in places, shoppers were happily chatting with their companions and with their fellow shoppers. The number one topic...the impending blizzard, of course. I loved it!

I do wonder if the 5:00 p.m. and after crowd will be quite as jovial though. I suspect most of them will be concerned about how they're going to get to work and back this week. For the first time since leaving L.A. I don't have to worry about commuting in winter storms.

Lovin' Life ~~ And Retiree Shopping Hours

  Bev 

Holiday Treats - Part IV Hand 'n Foot Luncheon

Yesterday was one of my favorite...OMG! I heard myself saying again that something is my 'favorite' and on reflection came to realize that so many of my favorites are related to this holiday season from Thanksgiving through mid-January....hmmmm

Yesterday was the annual holiday get together for my Hand 'n Foot group. We are eight women who have played cards monthly for the past eleven years. Hand 'n Foot for those who are wondering is closely related to Canasta, a card game with which most have some familiarity. In all these years there has only been one change in the membership.

An evening dinner was always planned to accommodate my work life but this year everyone seemed very pleased that it could be a luncheon...hooray again for my retirement! We met at an Irish pub that lists a burger called The Pog Mo Thoin Burger which just cracks me up every time I read their menu.

Our subs are always invited to this get together of course so we were twelve yesterday. Here are a few photos; some are not great; do you think they'll blackball me out of the group when they see these? Blame the photographer, not the subjects. They are all delightful attractive women who are very dear to me. Don't these remind of you of National Enquirer or Star photos that were cheaply procured from amateur paparazzi?

Now don't be alarmed, these two really are friends and it truly was a fun, friendly luncheon. You'll see as we get to them again after going around the table...

The room was lovely, the fire roaring, the food delicious, the atmosphere warm, and most importantly I got to enjoy a long relaxing lunch with my friends...another fabulous Holiday Treat!

Lovin' Life ~~ Each Beautiful Day

  Bev 

Holiday Treats - Part III Ladies' Breakfast

Obviously, this is a different type of Holiday Treat than I've been posting! The ladies in our neighborhood gather one Friday morning a month at a nearby restaurant for breakfast and lots of great conversation. They've been doing this for years so I doubt that any of them would classify this morning's breakfast as a holiday treat. It was for me though. Yet another thing I love about retirement is the opportunity to join our neighbors in daytime social events that I missed out on the first twelve years we lived in this house.

While I had my camera out, one of the waitresses even took a photo with me in it...a rare shot for sure.

 
Here are photos of the rest of the group there this morning. A few of the regulars were missing but I think this is the majority of those who usually attend.

The guys go to breakfast at a different restaurant on the same Friday morning so Rich also went today. We are so lucky to have our next-door-neighbor BFFs call when something like this is coming up to see if we want to go! We are also very lucky to live in such a friendly active neighborhood!

With the weather forecast for the weekend in mind, Rich & I spent the afternoon buying groceries and nearly finishing our Christmas shopping...LET IT SNOW, LET IT SLEET, LET THE FREEZING RAIN COMMENCE...have I ever mentioned how much I love being retired?!?!

Lovin' Life ~~ And Great Neighbors

  Bev 

Christmas Confessions - Part IV American Girl

It's not my fault. It was just around the corner and it is December after all...how could I resist?

I must confess that today I broke my promise to myself that I would not visit this Place...ever.

Today was one of those fantastic retirement days when we got up and thought "Wow, we can do whatever we please today. Neither of us has any commitment to anything or anyone." For years, Rich has wanted to go to a railroad location in Chicago called Alton Junction near Cermak & Canal Streets. Long ago it was a busy intersection with several tracks used by many railroads that traveled through Chicago. Several sets of tracks have been removed as rail traffic diminished through the years but he has always wanted to visit the spot. To protect the guilty innocent (MOAO), I won't even try to describe how you access the spot. Let's just say, now he's been there.

Since we were in the city anyway, I made a quick run into Anthropologie to make a return. Yikes, it's hard to return anything from there. Their goods are so fabulous, but I just couldn't use them for gifts as intended when I purchased them.

And...just around the corner, on Michigan Ave, is the mecca where I picked up the darling little shopping bag shown above.

Lovin' Life ~~ And Retirement

  Bev 

A Post Script to Our Trip

This copy of an original acrylic by Boots Reynolds appeared on a Leanin' Tree greeting card and I couldn't resist sharing it with y'all. This could be Rich and me...both wearing shorts, his ball cap and long sleeved denim shirt, him listening to my loud opinion, our two pups sitting up front whenever we park, a "conversation" about my map reading skills, and sadly...similar comparative body shapes. Since we were Meandering westward this trip and since we traded to a Class A RV in Spokane, even the scenery and RV fit.

"She Tells You What To Do And You Tell Her Where To Go"

Original art by Boots Reynolds ©2000

Instead of hair curlers though, I'm much more likely to be seen with my head in the clouds...metaphorically and literally...and always a camera in hand.

Rich has not seen this photo of me yet and I'm willing to bet a nickel that, out of the 4,980 photos taken this trip, this one may become his favorite...haha! By the by...we drove about 4,600 miles in our RVs plus all the miles in addition to that while sightseeing in the Saturn.

Happily, the truth is that we have a great time together, agree on where to go and what to do, and share lots of laughs...even being together 24/7 now that we are retired...lucky us!!!

Lovin' Life ~~ and MOAO!

Two Special Ladies

I was "down home" for several days recently. While there, Mom and I went to Jacksonville to visit Pauline. On the way back to Carlinville we drove many country roads because that has always been a favorite pastime of Mom's. She can tell you who lived at many of the farms we pass and talks about her experiences along with much local history. So, it's a treat for me too. These photos were taken during that drive. There are stretches along the way where you can't see a single house, only fields and prairie. If you look closely at the far end of the gravel road below you can see a round, red water tower; it's located in the town where I grew up.

 

Pauline will celebrate her 98th birthday in October and is now living in a nursing home. But, remarkable woman that she is, she lived independently in an apartment until this May.

She is my kids' paternal grandmother and we have remained close through all these years. Mom and she have also maintained their friendship. And, she loves Rich dearly, deeply appreciating the beautiful life he afforded her grandchildren. As always, Mom and I had a lovely visit with her last Friday afternoon.

The following evening, I drove Mom to the 65th reunion of her 1945 Virden High School graduating class. Virden is about 20 miles north of Carlinville. My grandparents lived there, we still have many relatives in the area, and I have beautiful memories of time spent with all of them. 

Several of Mom's classmates attended the meeting, which was held at a Thayer church before the banquet in Virden. Because the classes are small, all celebrating classes attend the same big banquet. Mom decided to only attend the gathering of her class. My cousin, who provided the cakes at the banquet, told Mom that 400 people were expected to attend.

These are two very special ladies in my life and it was an absolute pleasure being able to spend so much time with them...yet another great benefit of retirement!

Stay tuned for a post showing what Rich was up to while I was gone...what a guy!