Tag Archives: travel

Enjoy The Journey

This weekend certainly was a well-earned beauty! Mother Nature finally broke down and took something for her recurring hot flashes, giving us all a well-deserved break from the heat and humidity. Even my air conditioner let out a huge sigh of relief when I hit the off switch.

We decided to get our Ferris Bueller on, take the day off from our humdrum chores, put the top down and ride on … Oh Yeah!  Ok, so we didn’t crash a parade or have entire city singing Twist and Shout, but it was still fun.

We decided to check out the Covered Bridges of Bucks County. I’ll be honest; the bridges weren’t nearly as exciting as the journey to locate each one. I was very proud of my co-pilot abilities. I was really on my game, Pocahontas level if I do say so myself. Considering my lack of map reading skills, this was huge deal for me.

We had the GPS, but I did not feel like hearing that condescending bitch the whole ride. We haven’t gotten along since I completely ignored her repeated demands to get off an exit while singing along to the radio. She really needs to get over her recalculating self. 

I wasn’t sure how the trip was going to go since right out of the gate we encountered (2) fun sucking moments. First up, humanity at its lowest. A young, very impaired man in a motorized wheelchair was trying to cross the street. The light turned green as he proceeded to cross SINCE HE DOES HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, however the trained rats at the light also proceeded to go forward. Green means go, must go, light is green. The young man was pointing at the light, with a contorted hand, to indicate he had the right of way.

In this moment it really paid off to have a convertible. No need to roll down windows or hide behind tinted glass; you just raise your head over the windshield and let loose on this lack of civilization. No doubt I looked like a deranged giraffe, but was worth it. 

That glory did not last long. Within minutes we encountered the downside of a convertible, which happens to be all that openness. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a young buck running out of the woods. This thing was practically in the car!

He seemed unfazed as he went back to the forest, where I’m sure my screams were the highlight of conversation around the woods. You should have seen her face, she was all screaming, it was straight up cray cray. I was sweating from fear while Rudolph was doing stand-up!

Onward to the covered bridges dammit! Uncivilized people and comedic wildlife are no match for this dynamic duo!

The bridges were located in obscure locations, which made the journey between each one interesting to say the least. Many of the roads were narrow, covered with debris from the recent storms that left me hitting “my” break every five seconds, not to mention the lack of human life form. My city slicker status was officially confirmed. 

Throughout the day my husband kept pointing out different properties for sale. Look, that one has your name on it. Not unless my name is NO WAY it doesn’t. These places were beautiful, but I require entertainment. Grass growing is not entertainment.

As we were riding along these beautiful roads, with no lights or signs of human life, he continued to ask me if I would consider thinking about moving out to this beautiful countryside. Um, actually I was thinking that if I ever killed someone this area is loaded with good places to dump the body. What? You asked.

Honestly, he could live out there and be busy from sun up to sun down, he is a putter while I prefer to bustle. This works out wonderful where we are now, but I would not fare well in putterville. I need someone to give me the finger every once in awhile, let me know I’m alive for god sakes!  

Reality set in and he saw the light once we lost the signal to our radio station and a man suddenly appeared with a shovel on the side of the road. My immediate thought was “holy shit this is just like an episode of Criminal Minds.” Once I regrouped, I realized he was just heading to scoop up the latest possum that didn’t quite make it across the road. Call me crazy, but that seems a little odd. 

All in all it was a great day off filled with excitement, adventure, laughter & love. I highly recommend taking some notes from Ferris Bueller. Take a moment to experience the journey and Enjoy the Ride! 

Peace and Noise

I had the pleasure of visiting my daughter this weekend at college.  She recently joined a Sorority and I was invited for a mother/daughter pinning ceremony .

Everything was very nice, but I was hoping for more of a Legally Blond Sorority moment with Ann Taylor dresses, pearls and everything pink. Not that these things reflect me in any way, I was just looking for some entertainment.

Since this ceremony was on a Sunday evening, I decided to book myself a room at a local Bed & Breakfast near the college.  I was really looking forward to the getaway, mainly for a good nights sleep.  A night away from the husband and dog, who spend their days plotting to simultaneously snore so they can have the room all to themselves.  I have no evidence of this master plan, other than the bags under my eyes.

My room at the Inn
Ironically labeled ... Freedom

After a very long day I headed back to the Inn, which was absolutely beautiful.  The Inn Keeper informed me earlier that I was the only guest for the eveningAt the time I thought this was a good thing, but when I walked back into this immense historic house in the dark…well, I was having second thoughts (yes, I am the Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town and no, I don’t care).

I got settled in the big comfy bed with hopes of quickly falling sound asleep. Of course that didn’t happen..why you ask…because, brace yourselves… it’s too QUIET!  I am wide awake and declare myself a middle-aged Goldie Locks. Home is too noisy and now this place is too quiet…ugh..come on.

Well, I did in fact fall asleep, only to wake up at 2 a.m., realizing I was in a strange place and *BAM* ….. the Sandman has left the building. This is where having a vivid imagination is a curse. Anyone else would turn on the T.V. or read in hopes of dozing off again, but noooo… not me.  I lay there wide awake with the wheels in my head spinning with thoughts of how the Inn Keeper was actually like Kathy Bate’s character in the movie Misery. Remember that looney tune?

We'll See Who Can Blog
Now Won't We....

She obviously enjoys my Blog and is jealous that I won a contest over at The Byronic Man blog.  In her jealous rage she screams at me for being Tagged by MissFourEyes and decides to hold me hostage at the Inn. This is where I give myself a firm…Lisa! Stop it and just go to sleep, you big…gigantic…weirdo!

Finally, I managed to get myself back to sleep, right before it was time to get up…so much for rest and relaxation. My Kathy Bates/Misery thoughts made me chuckle, until she was serving me breakfast and my imagination surfaced, yet again; and suddenly my pancakes started to look very suspicious.

Monks Gone Wild
I'm In!

It was just so unbelievably Q U I E T.  I couldn’t stand it another second. There was some light conversation at breakfast, but other than that I was officially a Monk. (I could only be a rebel Monk)  

My Conclusion:  It has been a very long time since I’ve spent time with a very important person….ME.

One of the most important things you can do is surround yourself in true silence and rest your mind, but it is very difficult in this world of  sensory overload. Obviously I need to practice shutting down my mind otherwise I will be talking to lamps and it will sadly be a two-way conversation.

So, take a minute to unwind, untangle, refocus and as always…Enjoy The Ride!

Garden Center Swag

Holly Tree We Rescued
From The Big Chipper

What does one do on a beautiful Saturday in April?  They get their Garden Swag on of course, especially on Earth Day weekend!

Since the hubby’s truck was loaded with dirt and the teenager took the car to work, I was left to take the MLC to the garden center to pick up some flowers. So, top down, towel in the trunk and off I went.

After I loaded my cart up with some beauties and checked out, I headed for the exit. Hmm, the exit appeared to be blocked by a man and his cart. I gave a polite “excuse me” and the man quickly moved. He actually did a little dance with the cart to be funny….I chuckled at the extra effort.

As I’m loading the flowers I hear, from across the parking lot, a very loud “DAM! Are you single?” followed by “Is that your car?” O Dear Lord…now he’s heading my way..ugh.  Well, he was kind enough to help me back with the cart as I explained that I was married and the car is my husband’s Mid-Life Crisis of sorts. This somewhat of a caveman asks …”DAM! He LETS you drive HIS car?”  Well, I refrained from saying the first thing that came to mind “Jeez, this car is a seems to be ASS magnet!” and went with “We are both enjoying this ride.”  Got in, buckled up and heard the very appropriate…Rolling Stones Give Me Shelter playing on the radio.

Stockton

After our long day of gardening we decided to take a short ride on a beautiful evening. This time we headed North and followed Rt. 29 in New Jersey. It’s a refreshing ride on the Jersey side of the Delaware River. The scenery is stunning and the little towns of Lambertville and Stockton are nothing short of quaint, funky and beautiful.

Bridge to PA

We crossed back over to Pennsylvania and took a ride through the very cool and down right wild town of New Hope.  The streets were packed with people of all ages and from all walks of life…it was electrifying.

All this electricity is what most likely lead to the husband singing Wild Cherry’s–Play That Funky Music like it was nobody’s business. He was suddenly on stage, or so he thought, behind the wheel!  This is a moment that will be remembered, with a smile and some funk of course.

Watching everyone bustling around town and taking advantage of the warm weather, certainly had an impact. Being silly and ridiculous, certainly brings happiness. Mixing them all together, certainly lets you … Enjoy The Ride! 

Love Goggles

This guy right there on the left…yup him…that’s the guy behind the Mid Life Crises (MLC). I snapped this picture on our day out yesterday.  He seems so happy behind that wheel…happy is good.

The weekend was beautiful, just perfect to take advantage of some free time and enjoy a nice long ride in the MLC! However, there was one HUGE over site in having a convertible… Allergies!  

This has been the worst season for me in a very long time. All the coughing, sneezing, stuffy head and itchy eyes has been challenging to say the least.  Nothing says turn-off  like a woman with her nose buried in a tissue making noises that leaves everyone asking…what the hell was that!?  So the wheels started spinning … what in tarnation is it going to be like driving around in the open vessel with the pollen blowing right into my face?  My visions of cute dresses, big sunglasses and scarves were being replaced with trying to figure out..how does one get a Hazmat suit and do they come in colors or perhaps floral prints?  

I thought about doping myself up on medication, but sleeping through the ride would defeat the purpose, so I got in, buckled up and prayed I didn’t start to look like Alice Cooper mid-ride.  It started off with, Ah-chew, I’m good, Ah-chew, don’t mind me, just keep the tissues coming and we’ll have a good time…I swear!  Hey, it’s going to take more than some pollen spores to take me down!

Off we went for an unplanned destination.  We took a loooooong drive through Bucks County, PA., which is always beautiful, even when it’s loaded with pollen. It could actually be the Pollen Capital, I’m not sure. It really felt good to take a moment and admire the beauty that surrounds us, but so often gets ignored by our busy lives.  The weather was perfect, the music was rockin and the company was just what the doctor ordered….Allergies? Who has Allergies? That’s what happens when you put your Love Goggles on…life is all good. 

Good turned into great when we stopped for a bite to eat.  We enjoyed one of the best burgers in the tri-state area at the Moo Food Truck. It’s our area’s first food truck, serving burgers that are made with all local organic ingredients, grass fed organic meat that is freshly ground and formed into a patty by the loving hands of …drum roll please…my nephew Evan (owner/operator) at the tender age of 19. https://www.facebook.com/TheMOOTruck.  It turned extra special when we ran into my friend and her family enjoying some MOO as well…it was indeed a win-win day! 

The highlight for me, other than when the sneezing ceased, was listening to the sweet soulful sound of Al Green’s … Let’s Stay Together.  Even better was when the guy sitting next to me grabbed my hand while it was playing….oh, yes he did!

Beautiful day, wonderful company, delicious food and laughing with friends all in one day…Life is Good!  We went home, put the top up and I went food shopping…with a smile of course.  Not the ending you were expecting, but life is unpredictable so make sure you….Enjoy the Ride!

Hearts Desire

ATTENTION:  In case you haven’t heard the BIG NEWS, no, not the Brangelina engagement, this is much, much bigger. No, not that Rick Santorum finally realized money might not buy happiness, but it will buy the Republican nomination …. bigger.

 This news is H U G E … drum roll please … I am this weeks winner of the Weekly Question of the Week posted over at The Byronic Man’s blog. This blog is smart, sarcastic, funny and packed with great information that is delivered with a twist. I enjoy his posts and I know you will too. It’s a must read folks! 

I would like to thank everyone who voted (over and over and over) as instructed. Thanks to all of you who endured the daily “Did you vote today?” for the past week and of course, those of you who saw my Facebook posts each day, begging for yet another vote.  Without all of you, I would not be sharing this claim to fame.

Now, let’s get down to business: For everyone who claims, after loosing of course, that “it’s an honor just to be nominated.”  Well, it is, and thats exactly what I was prepared to say before I realized I won. Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m here to inform you that ….WINNING is way better.

Winning ROCKS!  Songs are written for winners, not nominees.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS…of the WORLD.

All kidding aside…writing this Blog came to be after a long journey, one I am still in the midst of traveling. It is something that I always wanted to do, but frankly never had the courage. So, when the opportunity to enter the Weekly Question of the Week presented itself, for the first time in my life I put my insecurities aside and submitted my answer …with a shaking finger.

What would youmost like to hear the pilot or flight attendant come on the intercom and say?

Greetings and welcome to Fantasy Fuselage! Your original flight of choice to a Dull and Dreary destination, has been diverted. We will be re-routed to a little place known as Your Hearts Desire. Its sits right it the middle of Awesome and Bombdiggity, so please, sit back and enjoy the ride.

I think my plane just landed folks and I’m heading right for Bombdiggity….Enjoy the Ride!

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