Travel Strategies

Mother's Day Celebration - May 8, 2011

We had a delightful Mother's Day Celebration at Lakeside Tavern, a local restaurant with beautiful views of the lake.  My parents, Mr. B's mom and our niece spent some quality time just laughing and enjoying being together.  

Tomorrow is the big day!!  We leave on Summer Trip 2011 and I can't begin to tell you how excited we are.  We started the summer trips in 2001 when Mr. B began his teaching career and was off during the summers.  Last year's trip was only in fragments as his dad was declining quickly and we did not want to leave for an extended period of time, so this year is the first real Summer Trip since I've been blogging!

Here's a little secret that only YOU will know.  Several trips ago, we started a secret tradition of leaving a day early IF we could get everything packed and ready.  It's the kind of deal where no plans are made - we'd just get everything done, look at each other and say, "let's go."  We'd then drive until we got tired, find a hotel and the next day, have less miles to travel to our first REAL destination.  We are hoping that will be the case today, although I'll admit, what we have left to do is rather intimidating.  We've gotten really good at it over the years, but it's still hard to get ready to leave home for six weeks feeling confident that everything is taken care of.  

Several of you have asked if I will blog while away from home.  I've thought long and hard about that.  Blogging is not the question - WHERE I blog has been the issue.  Here's my dilemma:  I have always maintained a travel journal when we travel because our friends and family seem to enjoy it.  The distribution list for THAT journal is now over 40 people and I've moved that journal from a simple email newsletter to mytripjournal.com. 

You recall that I have been very careful to keep THIS blog private and there is no one in my "other" life who knows about it.  I will never refer to this blog in the travel journal. Here's the deal.  I will maintain this blog and try to post frequently while on the trip.  I NEED the outlet and the accountability.  I suspect the posts on this blog will be brief and only related to how I am doing with healthy eating.  I will always link to the travel journal so that if you are the least bit interest in those musings, you'll know where to go to find them.  My only disclaimer is this - we let NO grass grow under our feet when we travel and blogging in ANY form or fashion will not be a priority.  I'll do what I can, but promise nothing!!

With respect to my current weight and eating patterns, I am truly anxious to get gone because it will help me tremendously.  I am not happy with my weight, but thankfully, am finished with the Prednisone and can already feel a difference in bloat and retention.  I've learned from the past that Prednisone weight gain does not FALL off of me like some medication related weight gain does, but it will come off eventually with lots of water intake, little sodium intake and just plain healthy eating.  

I know this goes against the normal grain of  vacation/travel mindset, but then, when was I ever normal? I've always done better, or maybe I should say it's always been easier, with healthy eating when away from home.  Probably has to do with all the physical activity and instinctively knowing it's easier when my body has been nurtured properly.  

One other thing before I head back to the suitcases.   On Friday, I am so excited that I will get to meet and spend an afternoon with another Blog Friend.  I'm telling you, if I could spend all my time traveling around the US/Canada spending time with Blog Friends, I'd have no weight issues whatsoever because I've learned that (at least for me) meeting you guys face-to-face is the greatest source of motivation and encouragement there is.  I absolutely cannot wait for Friday to get here.  I only hope she's half as excited as I am.

Here's the link for the travel blog.  There isn't much on it yet. I've written some pretty boring posts just to get the hang of the navigating around a different website.  I hope you enjoy it and will stick with me for the next six weeks one way or the other.

Bill and Sharon's Travel Adventures - 2011 Summer Trip