First Ever Cruise to Alaska- PART 3: Glacier Bay!

                 Part 3- Glacier Bay! (And Icy Straight Point)

I don't think I have the words to describe how beautiful and majestic Glacier Bay was to me. 

And as wonderful as the best photographs taken with super, high definition, expensive pro cameras can be (which we didn't have, by the way- only our phones) it just doesn't compare to the feeling of being there. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself here...

After eating our breakfast by the buffet area windows, we headed outside to the lido deck bundled in our heavier coats and hats to watch as the ship sailed further into the bay. 

Snowy mountains were soon surrounding us on either side of the ship, ever changing, some jagged, we drew ever closer to Marjorie Glacier.

We peered over the back railing, mesmerized by the pieces of ice in the water below. Eventually we made our way to the bow of the ship (stopping a lot along the way to take photos and just gaze.) At the bow, a crowd already laid claim to the smaller railing space. 

But I noticed a small deck above so I suggested checking that out. My husband assumed there wouldn't be room for us there, either, but we found a space just big enough for two...and the sight below was breathtaking.

After a while, a strong chemical smell wafted our way (he can't smell very well but the gal next to me said it was due to some work they had been doing up there). 

That odor didn't exactly go hand in hand with the amazing scenery! But we were interested in viewing from many angles, anyway, so we returned to the lido deck as the ship slowed to a pause. There it would remain for some time, floating in the heart of the sparkling, icy bay, with mountains surrounding us. Enveloping us. 

The weather...it was gorgeous!

 

The videos I had watched usually showed passengers shivering on the decks as they viewed the icy splendor, sometimes enduring cold rain and wind. The advice was to dress in the usual layers, plus add winter hats and gloves.

But while it was a bit nippy at first, especially at the railings, the Alaskan sun shone bright and soon many of us were shedding our coats. 

I had started in my winter coat, hat, and touch screen gloves...less than an hour later, I was taking my gloves and coat off...then my sweater, and then down to my long sleeve tee. 

Crew brought us free yummy split pea soup- a Holland America tradition on Glacier Day. 

We ended up reclining near the pool. semi-sunbathing amid the towering snow-capped mountains. It was amazing and we felt so blessed.  

Sometime during all of this, one of the professional photographers came by to take our picture. The first time, we didn't have railing space, but later he found us again and offered to take one more, with Marjorie Glacier directly behind us.

It's one of my favorite pictures of the cruise. Not only do I really how it turned out, but that time in Glacier Bay felt so glorious, it will always bring back memories of those beautiful hours.

                                         Icy Straight Point

Late that afternoon, we had about four hours or so at the port, Icy Straight Point. We rode the free low tram (gondola) through the woods and back, and then toured the old cannery turned large museum and gift shop, 

By the way, while riding back through the trees on that gondola, we spotted a whale out in the sea, spouting off in the distance! It was very cool!

After the museum, we shared a little bag of amazing donut holes made in a small hut run by Salvation Army, 

We kept spotting that whale again as we strolled the boardwalk. Soon, the angle of sun reflecting on the water made it difficult to keep gazing in that direction.

We decided to eat dinner on the ship so headed back just a little early. It had been a very full day and we had seen so much! We were tired but mostly in a good way. 

I can't even remember what we ate for dinner that night, but I know it was good. Every dinner we ate on the ship, whether in the buffet or elegant restaurant or dining room, was usually wonderful.

The next day would be a sea day, but within the Inside Straight. (So no more sea sickness- yay!) 

We'd have all day to explore the ship, play games, relax, see another evening show, and even try the jacuzzi! 

(Although the jacuzzi proved a little less relaxing, as I'll explain next time!)  

To be continued...

First Ever Cruise to Alaska- Part Two

Part Two- First Days

When I left off last in Part One of this series, it was the first morning on the ship. And it was rolling a bit. 

Not a lot, exactly...though I didn't have much to compare it to. But enough. 

I learned later that because this particular itinerary takes a path in more open sea at first before entering the inside straight, a bit rougher sea on Day 2 is pretty common.

I showered and got ready the best I could. Besides the ocean waves beneath my feet, I hadn't had my coffee yet.

(My husband apparently hadn't gotten my phone message to please bring that ASAP.) When he finally arrived back at the cabin, he, too, was feeling a little woozy. 

We headed to the Lido Market where I had a muffin and (finally!) my morning caffeine.

Sidenote: The Lido Market is the casual cafeteria-style buffet area, and though it's a casual dining and atmosphere, staff behind the pexiglass graciously dish up whatever you want onto a plate, and sometimes custom cooks something. After you find your own little table, other staff come around asking if they can get you more water and coffee. It's unbelievable service! 

I promptly put on my trusty motion sickness wristbands. I had never used them before, and now was the time to see if they really worked!

That time I could only find one of the set I brought for hubby, but he gladly took it. I later gave him a non drowsy chewable to try. (After lots of research, I came prepared!) Both the wristbands and pill seemed to be working because soon we were feeling a little better. A few hours later, we even headed over to the special brunch happening over in the Main Dining Room. This needs a more elegant name, even though it's part of the all inclusive dining. Much more formal than the buffet area and so absolutely stunning. (The first day we originally thought it was one of the pay-extra restaurants, but no, it's not!)

Once again, we were asked if we didn't mind sharing, and were seated with a nice young couple. They seemed a little on the shyer side, kinda' like us, but we ended up having a really pleasant conversation with them. 

They told us they had eaten a little early morning breakfast in their room due to her feeling seasick, but all of us agreed we were doing a little better. At least, we all had no problem eating, so that was a good sign!

Later, we went to a Cha Cha dance class taught by a young guy and gal who were part of the shows, and they were super fun. But they taught it in a really fast-paced way (there were about 10 of us) and though it was pretty easy for me, my poor husband (with his self-proclaimed two left feet) was not getting it. At all! 

Poor guy, he was really trying, too, but it's not his thing and he only does it for me!  Of course, the continued ocean waves weren't helping. But we ended up laughing so hard! 

After that, the rest of the day is a bit of a blur to me now, at least leading up to our fancy evening. But we were both feeling a little woozy again (must have been all that dancing on a floor that rolled with the waves!) So after having explored a little more of the ship, I rested a bit. 

I can't remember where my hubby headed off to, or why...he wasn't feeling so great, himself. But I know I needed to rest a little before getting ready for Dressy Night. And I also noticed I didn't feel the effect of the rocking ship as much while lying down in bed.

But soon I forced myself to start getting ready. Freshening up, changing clothes, applying a little more makeup, heating up the curling iron...the works! (Men have it so easy!)

It was a little challenging to get all prettied up that evening, because:

a) I think I had about five hours of sleep the night before (remember, this was a theme for me that week!) and

b) Rocking ship = slightly queasy feeling!

But honestly, I never felt the seasickness too intensely. 

(Not like that time in Hawaii when our kids were little- with the family, the dolphins, and Captain Jack...but that's another story for another day!) 

If anything, my husband was dealing with it a little more since he's susceptible to motion sickness in general. But thankfully, neither of us were too bad off, and I had packed a variety of remedies! 

When he returned to the cabin, I found his other wristband and then he downed two more seasick pills as he got changed and ready. I decided to hold out and just keep using the wristbands.

Then we headed down the narrow passageway...he, wearing nice slacks and a classy, white button down shirt (so handsome!) and me in a cute summery dress and little pink heels (that have a tendency to slide off my foot if I walk too quickly, or take stairs- even on solid ground.) I was definitely hanging onto my husband that evening, and not just because he was so handsome!

As we made our way to our restaurant, a photographer stopped us and we had a little photo shoot. (And I must say, at least one of those pictures turned out pretty well considering we were still a little green behind the gills!)

The special restaurant we had reservations for was top notch and elegant. Our sophisticated and gracious waiter, complete with an accent, offered my husband ginger tea when he revealed that he especially was dealing with a little motion sickness.  And by the time we finished dining, we both felt quite a bit better again. (Amazing that the food actually helped, instead of the other way around!)

Filet mignon...it was superb!! We definitely were being spoiled!

From there, we attended our first onboard show. 

I have to be truthful, there were parts of it we didn't care for so much. (The choreography was at times a little less than family friendly. Nothing too extreme, though.) 

But it was entertaining, overall. (The next two shows that week we would end up enjoying a lot more!)

All in all, it was an exciting, elegant evening aboard the cruise to end our first full day!

                                        **************

The next morning when I awoke, I was pleasantly surprised to notice the seas felt so much calmer! Ahhh....

It was also the day of our first port! We'd finally be on Alaskan soil and we'd be visiting Juneau! 

I was excited but a little nervous about getting off the ship right after breakfast so we could find our excursion tour in time. 

(Did I mention I planned everything by myself (with a little help from a travel advisor) from start to finish for this first ever cruise?)

The excursion booked through the cruise line was a bus to Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls. It was really the only excursion I booked ahead of time for this entire cruise, and the videos I had seen of it looked beautiful.

I guess I was right that time to be a little nervous, though. Once we got to the pier, it was even more confusing than I had anticipated. There seemed to be an endless sea of tours gathering and we didn't see any sign for ours. 

We walked up the pier and back, and to make matters worse, hubby and I got separated in the crowd briefly and weren't able to call on our phones. 

I said a prayer and finally saw him! Moments before, I had asked around and was directed to a line of folks by a bus- only to find out it was the wrong bus after we had stood for some time. Thankfully, though, our correct bus was just one line over. And we made it! Whew!

It was all so crazy with no clearly marked signs. 

Looking back, I'd have to say that besides a few moments during embarkation day, trying to find our tour bus in time was probably the most harried we felt the whole week. 

However, once we met our friendly tour driver and reached our seats together on the bus, all that stress began to melt away. 

(Well, for me, anyway. Motion sickness-proned hubby was a little concerned not being at the front of the bus. Luckily, I brought his wristbands and he was fine.)

At last, we arrived at Mendenhall Glacier Park! We could see the gorgeous glacier off in the distance. Almost immediately we began briskly walking the mile long trail, along with many others. 

I was really setting a quick pace and continuously dodging slower groups as I pulled hubby along. It felt good to be hiking on solid ground in the crisp air. I also love waterfalls and I was eager to see this one first hand. 

Once we got into view, it did not disappoint!

I had seen Nugget Falls on videos as I was planning our trip, but my husband didn't know what to expect. 

However, even for me, videos didn't do it justice.

What made it so uniquely wonderful for me was how it cascaded right onto the open shore. You could get as close as you dare to the rushing silver falls and feel the cool spray. I loved looking up, watching the water falling high above my head. I wasn't directly under it, of course, but it seemed as if the waters could almost tumble right over me.

Despite being close to a glacier, which stood off the left and slightly behind the Falls, the weather felt fairly warm that day- especially after our fast mile hike. The mist of the waterfall was so refreshing. 

Next to the shore was a beautiful panoramic bay and behind it, all around us, were majestic snow-capped mountains. 

If we didn't have a set time that we needed to be back to the bus, I could have stayed there for hours.

It will forever be one of my favorite places.

                                             

                                                

                                                ***

When we returned to the heart of town late that afternoon, we ducked into a few shops and then headed to the restaurant. 

I had called in reservations the week prior. However, when we checked in, the very young gal who working as greeter said she had no record of my reservation. 

I was taken aback, not just because they didn't have record of my reservation but because of her demeanor. 

I realized they were busy, but instead of politely apologizing for the mix up, we got the feeling she was actually annoyed and perhaps didn't even believe me.

She hastily showed us to the worst empty table and there we waited. And waited.

The restaurant was called Hanger Bay, and it was way more rustic than the website made it appear, but as we peered across the room to the windows, we could see the beautiful view and the little sea planes coming and going. There was a porch area with tables outside. Hmm...

It was getting a little chilly by then, but we decided to move outside and hubby informed the wait staff.

We waited and waited....and we were sure we were forgotten since our move outside. We were thinking about leaving, despite the great view.

But first, hubby went back inside to very politely let them know it had been a half an hour since we arrived and no one had taken our order. (We only have so much port time before we have to get back to our ship.)

Alas, we got a different waiter who was very nice and apologetic, and later finally got our food- which was actually pretty good- even if it came nearly an hour after we arrived.

Best of all, we did get a picturesque view unique to this part of Alaska, watching the seaplanes land and take off right below us. The planes were extra loud at times, but we thought it added to the whole experience.

Although the air was turning nippier, it was unusually sunny. The Alaskan ports rain more often then they don't, so even the locals were commenting on the gorgeous sunshine!

After our longer than planned dinner, we had just enough time to stop at a couple more shops to buy a few things and peek inside the historic saloon before getting back to our ship.

But despite just a few of the above mentioned snags during our first port day, we both felt super happy and grateful as came aboard that evening. Overall, it had been a wonderful day!

We loved stepping foot onto Alaska soil, riding in the tour bus as the fun driver pointed out various points of interest, seeing our very first glacier, the wonderful Nugget Falls in the serene setting, checking out the local shops, and watching the seaplanes come and go.

After we went to bed and hubby had fallen asleep, I had gotten up and decided to peek out our curtains. I was surprised to see our view had changed from the greenery to the twinkly lights of the small town- our ship had turned around and was slowly leaving port. 

It was nearly ten o'clock and the Alaskan sun was just setting...everything sparkled like a fairyland in the waning light. 

I stood silently at the railing in my jammies, completely in awe, as I took it all in and snapped a few pictures.

It was the perfect ending to a beautiful first day in Alaska.

The next morning our ship would be in Glacier Bay, which from everything I had learned, would be one of the highlights of this cruise. And sure enough, that morning as I peeked out, I was excited to see we were already getting close...beautiful white mountains drifted past our balcony. 

My sweet husband was coming back to the cabin with my morning coffee and I didn't want to miss a moment of anything that day. I quickly hurried and got ready! 

Stay tuned next time for spectacular Glacier Bay!

First Ever Cruise- to Alaska! Part One

Part One: Setting Sail

I'm still reeling....

in a good way, though, after our 7-day cruise! 

It was also our first trip to Alaska, and the whole cruise was absolutely amazing!

You see, my husband and I had never been on a cruise before! (Well, technically, he had lived on a Navy aircraft carrier during his service, so he experienced a type of sea life...but somehow it's just the same!) ;)

It was actually an 8 day adventure as we began our trip by taking the short train ride up to Seattle the day before our embarkment. Though I hadn't gotten too much sleep the night before (that would become kind of theme for me during the week, though it didn't really keep me from enjoying everything) we were both excited and loved chugging along the tracks.

Friendly conductors in their uniforms, along with the cheerful voice of a gal running the cafeteria (who would make happy announcements over the loud speaker of the menu every hour) added to unique ambiance. 

Once in Seattle, we got our luggage and went about the intimidating task of hailing an uber. We don't use them that often, and we ended up with a grumpy one. But Mr. Grumpy got us to our hotel, and then my husband and I made our way to our room. 

It wasn't fancy, and my side of the mattress sagged like Mama Bear's bed in the Goldilocks story, but we had an awesome view of the Space Needle from our window, a TV that got one of our favorite comfort shows, Andy Griffith, and the anticipation of our cruise!

The next morning, we got up early (even though I slept even less that night!) and we hurried down to the free breakfast. And I must say, despite the saggy mattress, the breakfast at this hotel was great!

The area was super crowded, though, so we ended up sharing a table with another couple (something new to us, but a prelude to what we'd experience on the ship and come to love!) They were also heading to a cruise on the different ship and we all had a great conversation.

The hotel arranged shuttles to the pier but they were independent services we had to pay for directly at the time of service. When the time arrived, it was all kind of muddled and confusing, and we chatted with others who were also outside waiting for shuttles that were late. Just when one came, the driver said it for another ship only!

I think we waited around forty-five minutes past our arranged time but ...finally, a van appeared with a nice driver who said he would take us and another couple to the pier. We arrived in time (whew!) and were directed to all the right places and lines by friendly staff. 

This part went pretty quickly.... until at the second passport check there was a small issue. The young girl assured me it would be fine but we were directed to the nearby desk where an agent double checked reservations and my passport, ect. Honestly, I'm still unclear about what it was, and I was too nervous to ask, but the second lady assured me it was all fine, she was just doing some extra unknown step.

So, after an extra 15 minute delay, everything was good to go and I breathed a sigh of relief. (Whew, again!) 

After that, we all kept going through a series of quick little check points, passed through an overpass...another checkpoint, and finally entered the ship. Talk about exciting! 

Ours was the Holland America Eurodam. We were both like kids, tired but excited and in awe as we wandered around, trying to take everything in. 

We found our cabin and were definitely pleased. It looked comfy and clean and was actually a little more spacious than we expected, from everything we had heard about cruise cabins. Along with the King size bed (two twins pushed together is how they do that on cruises) we had a little couch along with a desk with chair, a TV all the wall in front of the bed, and of course, our balcony! 

That balcony would prove to be an extra I was so glad to have! While it's true, we didn't spend a lot of time on it since we were always exploring the ship, dining, hanging out on the main deck, or in port, it was a blessing to have views and fresh air whenever we wanted. To wake up in the morning and peek out to see where we were...to prop open the door for sleeping when the room felt stuffy...and to spot wildlife! (More on that on an upcoming post!)

That first day is kind of a blur. I think we ate lunch at the buffet and dinner had us seated in the more formal dining room with four others, where we enjoyed getting to know everyone and chatting! Sophisticated waiters put cloth napkins onto our laps and brought us sophisticated dinners and desserts as we sat by an ocean view window and watched the land give way to sea and sky.

We also spent a good deal of time standing in line at the courtesy desk where staff helped us get our wifi going and answered lots of questions for us be and all the other new baffled passengers. 

But all the crew and staff were gracious and helpful. And we were super excited to be on our very first cruise.

We took some time to unpack, and then later that evening after dinner, we wandered around the ship, taking in the classic, elegant features and statues, trying to figure out the where everything was (that would take days!) and trying to absorb the fact that we were really here on this elegant cruise ship...before finally heading back to our cabin.

And indeed, this cruise would turn out to be one of our favorite weeks ever! 

Even though the next morning we awoke to some slightly rough waters....

This movement...it was unlike what we experienced the day before when we first got underway. 

We had reservations at one of the finer restaurants on board that evening, and it was also Dressy Night.

Would we be able to enjoy it all? This was what I pondered as I got out of bed (my early-riser husband was already out of the room) and dizzily made my way over to try to take a shower as the floor occasionally rolled beneath me.

Stay tuned for Part 2! (With MORE photos!)

Mom's Belated College Days

My mom was an Ohio girl, born and raised. 

After working for some years out of high school, something remarkable happened. 

Someone- out of the blue- anonymously gave her a scholarship for college!

I'm not quite sure if this scholarship could be used for any college, or just for Bryan College, but I'm thinking it was the latter. In any case, my mom, at the ripe old age of 24, who had been living with her mother working various jobs, decided to take the scholarship and leave everything she knew behind to enroll in Willian Jennings Bryan College down south in the little town of Dayton, Tennessee. 

Her younger sister had gone to college right out of high school. Money was tight, so I'm not sure how she did that, unless it was through a scholarship that perhaps she had somehow earned. 

Back when Mom was in high school, her parents' marriage, which had been wrought with several separations, finally ended in divorce when she 16. Despite the ongoing marriage difficulties of my grandparents, the actual divorce had hit her hard and her studies during that time likely suffered. 

So, not unlike George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, she remained at home, whether by choice or not, after her younger sibling left for college. 

But now- suddenly- here was her chance! And though jittery at the thought of starting life over with strangers far from home, trying to tackle college classes and studies, and knowing she was older than most of the other freshmen, she realized she couldn't throw away this opportunity that had fallen at her feet. She was going to go!

My mom later told me that outside of eventually becoming a wife and mother, those years were four of the most rewarding years of her life.

She soon made friends, dove into her studies, enjoyed campus life and all the activities, and grew a lot in her relationship with the Lord. 

The college during the early 1950s had a warm, small community feeling and at its core was a solid faith in Christ.

Despite that little age gap, she fit right in with the students, being a self-proclaimed "late bloomer". 

When I was growing up, she'd let me pour over her college yearbooks. I was fascinated by them. I'm not sure if it was the whole idea of college life that intrigued me, the faith conveyed through the pages, or the nostalgia I felt for the black and white photos of young people from a bygone era. Perhaps it was all of the above.

I still have her yearbooks stashed away somewhere. And recently, I even found where I can access them online- by year, and page by page. I can see her class photos staring back at me, knowing they were captured at a time she when she was flourishing.

My mom graduated four years after she arrived, earning a degree in Christian Education.

No, she never found the love of her life at college. She would have to wait just a little longer for that. But she did tell me the story of a young man there named Bob (who consequently shared a name with my dad) who apparently had a sweet, unrequited love for her. She said he was such a nice person, and she always felt a little guilty that she couldn't return his feelings. But alas, she only cared for him as a friend.

To this day, I can't hear the Nat King Cole song, Autumn Leaves, without remembering her story of how he gave her that little record as a gift.

Fast forward to the Fall of 2022, when my husband and I took a trip to Tennessee just for fun. 

We had such an amazing week touring that state- I'm sure I left a part of my heart there! (A separate post about this trip is probably coming soon!) 

We visited the historic town of Franklin near Nashville and absolutely fell in love with it. 

We rented a car and drove across the state to the east side, staying in a large, beautiful cabin while visiting Dollywood and the nearby towns.

We met up with my husband's old friend and best man at our wedding- whom he had recently gotten back in touch with- and we had a great lunch with he and his wife.

And on the drive back across the peaceful rolling hills of central Tennessee, we took the extra time to find and visit my mom's alma mater, Bryan College. 

Up, through steep green hills and winding roads until we finally arrived.

My mom was by then a few years in heaven, so it was especially meaningful to me to finally see this place she had spoken so fondly about. The place of those treasured yearbooks.

And it was a beautiful campus. Even prettier than I had envisioned it! And though I'm sure the college had changed a bit since my mom attended, it was incredibly special to walk the grounds where she had spent some of her favorite years.

How I wish I could have called her that night to tell her I was there. But maybe she was able to look from heaven and see a glimpse of my visit. I know it would have made her smile.

"Trailers for Sale or Rent..."

 I love trailers.

All shapes and sizes. Large rigs or cozy little trailers. I pretty much just love them all.

But especially vintage trailers!

Well, okay, if you know anything about me, I tend to love anything vintage.

But trailers have an extra special place in my heart.

Perhaps it goes back to when I was little. 

I grew up as an only child, and though not all my childhood memories were rosy, I did have some truly happy times. And some of my favorite memories with my family include camping in our mid size Terry trailer. 

                     This is not our actual trailer, but ours looked very similar!

Brown and white, it was probably about a1968 model, give or take a year, and I'm pretty sure my parents purchased it new. But we enjoyed it for nearly a decade. 

It had a sofa which made into a bed, and that's where my parents slept. I slept in the bunk bed above them, and we had the option of closing the accordion-type curtains, which I actually loved.

I felt warm and secure, tucked inside my sleeping bag and looking at the little rivets on the ceiling- or, excuse me, stars. They were stars to me.

We had little windows that opened their slats by cranking. And light fixtures that gave off a cozy lantern glow at night.

We had a table that made into another bed, which we rarely ever used as a bed. (But sometimes for fun, I'd decide to sleep there, instead- just to be different.) 

On the side of the bench seat was a drawer with my special toys or activities that only stayed in the trailer. They were just for camping, and I liked it that way. I looked forward to getting out my special things that I only got to use when we were camping.

There was a kitchen area across from that, a large closet and a tiny bathroom in the corner that even had a shower. We rarely used that, but it fun to know it was there!

Occasionally, I'd get to bring a friend with me camping. And a couple times, my grandparents caravanned with us, taking along their smaller old trailer. 

One time in particular, when I was Kindergarten age, my parents and grandpa went off somewhere- fishing, most likely. I got to come over to hang out with my grandma (known to me as "Gammee") who made me feel quite grown up by serving me coffee. 

Well, actually, a coffee cup of milk with about a tablespoon of coffee.

Besides our camping trailer, for a good part of my childhood, those same grandparents lived in a long, single-wide trailer. They had sold their house in retirement and moved there, and I thought it was the coziest little home to visit.

(If you've ever seen the old Lucy and Desi movie, "The Long, Long Trailer", my grandparents' trailer house was almost identical!)

Fast forward to now. We have an old pop up tent trailer which perhaps is not a true trailer but comes pretty close. But...well, not exactly the same. 

However, last year, my husband and I discovered a vintage trailer resort as we were zooming down a highway about 45 minutes from home. We zipped around and went into the little resort park to inquire, and to our pure delight, there were rows beautiful vintage trailers lining the streets that you could actually stay in. 

Many were actually from the 1950s and restored, with added modern touches, like a built in television and other amenities. 

"Glamping" to say the least, but with a decidedly old fashioned twist!

                            The adorable trailer we stayed in!

I later perused their website and booked a little Shasta trailer- cute and cozy for two.

When our weekend in early June came around, it ended up pouring most of the time, but that didn't dampen (pun intended) our moods. It only added to the coziness!

We brought a new game to learn to play, listened to music, cooked hot dogs, explored the nearby town, went out to dinner once, and when the rain let up a bit, even managed to ride the bikes they lend out over to a restaurant for breakfast in the light mist.

It was a very sweet time for us as a couple and we definitely want to do it again soon.

Later this past year, we went to two separate vintage trailer shows in different areas! We had so much fun touring all the privately owned trailers and chatting with their owners. Many of these folks had restored their trailers themselves and took pride in showing off their labors of love.

I guess you could say that vintage trailers were a definite theme for us last year!

So, whether they're a childhood Terry trailer, my grandparents' trailer house, or restored Shastas  all gleaming and bright, I love them all. 

(Yes, I even love the new, showroom floor models! Just not quite as much!)

Ok, so I'm not exactly sure I'd want to live full time in one like my grandparents did- or like Lucy and Desi's characters do in the film!

But there's really just something about a trailer.

And to borrow a quote from The Long, Long Trailer:

"Once a trailerite, always a trailerite."

First Post

First of all, for those who don't know me, let me introduce myself. 

My name is Tammy.

I'm a writer, an entrepreneur, and a child of God. I'm a wife of 31 years, a mom to two daughters. And soon to become a grandma! 

Other things about me: I love history, nostalgia, old classic movies and television shows, reading, music, and peaceful scenery.

 
Okay, so this first post may be appropriately titled, "First Post", but it's not exactly accurate. It's only the first post of this blog.

A long time ago- about 20 years ago (gulp!)- I was a part of a blogging community. Back in the days right before social media took over, I blogged nearly every day. Yes, almost every day!

I visited and commented on other blogs, they visited mine, we gave each other awards and participated in themes. (I really miss that little blogging world!) 

And most importantly, we became a circle of friends- some of whom I still have contact with to this day, even though most of us haven't officially blogged in ages. 

Looking back, though, if I had to do it over, I'd probably spend just a little less time on the computer during that season. But in my own defense, I remember honesty trying to be a devoted mommy- spending hours taking care of my little girls, playing with them, teaching them, and trying to be in the moment. Blogging was my connection with other adults- as well as my creative side- as a stay at home mama.

Back then, my writings and musings were mainly of family life with two little girls, but I would also venture off on to other subjects. 

But wow, 20 years is a long time and lot of life has transpired since I was an active blogger back then. 

Since then, I wrote and published my first novel in 2019, The Sentimental Journey. (A faith-based WWII time travel novel) along with several novellas. (I'm still working on finishing one of the novellas right now!)

I started a design\print on demand business a few years ago which is currently on Etsy.

And my cute little ones are all grown up and in their twenties. 

I homeschooled them for 15 years- which were the most rewarding years of my life so far! 

My oldest went on to Bible college and got her degree there- along with her wonderful husband! She has worked several rewarding jobs, began pursuing dance again, and is now getting ready to be a mommy herself.

My youngest's last year of homeschool high school was six years ago. Along with working, she joined YWAM, attended that same Bible college for a while, and recently took on a camp internship. She is currently seriously dating a really nice guy she met through that internship.

As for my blogging- my first blog was called Family Doin's and later, Lattes and Lollipops. There was one last, short-lived blog called School in the hammock, which focused on homeschool life. They are all still out there in the blogging internet land, floating aimlessly. When I have found my old posts, they sometimes amaze me because I barely remember them. But it's good to have these pieces of time stashed away.

(I did start another writing blog as an author but, well, I have sadly neglected it.)

However, what really inspired me to start blogging again now was recently finding my late mother's online blog. (Which is interesting, since 20 years ago, I was the one who inspired her to blog.) I also just found a hand-written notebook where she had composed many of her childhood memories and details so one day her granddaughters could read it. 

My mom, whom I was very close to, has been gone for nearly nine years now, and I miss her so much. But finding her writings has made me feel close to her again. 

Honestly, it both pulls at my heart and makes me miss her that much more...yet also comforts me at the same time.

In her blog, grandmothersmusings, as in her notebook, she writes about various memories, mostly of her childhood and youth. And not only are they personally special for me, but they have such historic significance, given the fact that she lived through the Great Depression and WWII.

So, because of reading her stories, I guess I'm inspired once again to write. Not just fiction, as I've already been doing, but my own meanderings and memories.

I guess this blog will be a combination of many things- past and present. Current family life, faith, travels (we have an exciting trip just around the corner- more on this later!) my own childhood memories, maybe even some fun thoughts about old movies and shows. 

I may even share some of my personal struggles from time to time- not to complain, but in hopes that someone reading might be able to relate and be encouraged they aren't alone.

So, if you read this far, thanks for joining me on my NEW blogging adventure. (And be sure to say hello in the comments!)