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Here I am at my own computer in my own little "office", missing the sea breeze and the adventure, but being mighty glad to be back, surrounded by my own near and dears. Not to mention the dog, who thought we had gone to the grocery store and spent a month instead of a couple of hours. Juds, I believe that our part of the country is justly famous for the size and quantity of its mosquitoes. We should be proud! Stealth bombers, they are! I have tried to come up with greener alternatives to keeping them away but Deep Woods Off seems to be the only solution. Mosquitoes head past everyone else and straight for my tempting flesh--never fails. It seems that while we were gone, there was plenty and then some of rain, and the little creeps just thrived! Nice for the garden, though. You would need a machete to get to the back so it is better to admire it from the edge. Armed with my new glasses AND the amazing sunglasses  , I had my first trip in--oh--a zillion years that did not involve a jumping, flapping, aching eye. I cannot begin to describe how different that was--and how much stress it removes from a vacation when you never know what is going to happen next and you are constantly encountering unfamiliar territory. I spent many minutes just being greatful and gazing at scenery that did not move around or leap uncontrollably. I am one delighted person. My husband does not just plan a trip. It has to be a real Odyssey--and this was no exception. I have learned just to be happy to get to see what I have seen, and not fuss about the arduous nature of some of it. Or whether we ought to be having the rest of the house painted instead. Thus, the vision thing is even more of a gift. I even popped a little extra medication, grabbed my sturdy cane, and made the trek up to the top of the Acropolis overlooking Athens--on stones and marble steps, polished about to glass by the thousands/millions of feet that have slid across them--temperature 104 degrees--and I made it! Then, as a finale, (and probably more hazardous) I actually got back down. Did it 20 years ago--wanted so much to do it once more! I would not have attempted it with the eye in its previous state. Lucky, happy, amazed me! It is true that home is very much where the heart is. One of the most exciting things about travel is the homecoming.  Annie |
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| | | From: juds | Sent: 7/23/2008 5:41 AM |
Welcome back. Hope that you had as nice a trip as you deserve, and I know exactly what you are talking about, husband-wise. It's a shame what you have to bear, just to be able to get away once in a while.  As for the skeeters, I'd rather be oh-so-less-than-green, than the alternative of bruised, lumpy and bloody. If I'm not mistaken, I think that our state bird is the mosquito. If it isn't official, it should be. I have found a combination of mosquito coils from the camping store, the Off lamp that uses a candle and a little chemical pad and Bullfrog spray. It means an extra shower each day (once again, not very planet-friendly, although in my defense I do use a shower-head that uses very little water and I dip in and out as quickly as possible), but it needs doing if I want to spend any time outdoors. Again, welcome back from your travels (or was it travails?!!!!!). At least there will be some posting for a change, since you will be stuck home, recuperating, with plenty of time for noodling around on here.  |
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You got it right, Juds. Travels do not come without travails. After you are home for awhile, you experience what our family has always called the "wet sleeping bag syndrome". This means that all the not-reading-the map (guess who), the heat, the sore feet on cobblestones, the frenzy in the airport--and in the case of camping, the rain and the attendant wet sleeping bag-- seem to slip away. Those raw memories get replaced mostly by the sunsets and the Campari and soda and the nice people you met and the fascination of being somewhere far away.
Basically, I was never a good camper though it was the only way we could afford to take our kids anyplace for quite awhile. I should be devoutly glad that I can now do hotels. I remember one rainy night when everybody finally went to sleep in the aforementioned damp bags and I crept out to the picnic table, wiped it down, and sat there alone, drinking quite a quantity of the Duty Free Scotch as the moon came out. Soothing. Otherwise, I might have stolen the travelers checks and found my way home.
It is good to be back. I did get some spectacular photos with my nice new little digital camera. What a dandy invention. And except for a few slightly homicidal days, we did this whole adventure pretty well. It seems to have been mighty quiet website-wise. You can always count on me. You have tweaked me before about my propensity to want to COMMUNICATE, and you are right and here I am. Slather yourself up with bug defying stuff. I just went and got the most poisonous spray could I could find to kill the mosquitoes on my screen porch, or there will be no coffee and paper out there. Now, it's war on those horrid little ear-wigs--hideous little creatures. Glad you are getting some more comfortable reading done! "Water for Elephants" was my latest favorite. Life without books is not good. Annie |
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