That's my story...and I'm stickin' to it!

Grandchildren.
One of the best parts of my life...all 5 of the little scrunchkins!

Travel.
I love to travel...with a grandchild, when possible.

This year, my 17 year old granddaughter is coming with me to London for a few days and Paris for more than a few days.
I'm delighted...
she's excited!

We began planning this trip last fall, and decided on Paris for 2 reasons.
First, we chose Paris because I have only traveled there once and it was a mishmash trip. I had to deal with a theft from my luggage and spent most of the week in the police station in the 18th Arrondissement. Filing a police report in French and then again in English takes time. Lots of time.
Secondly, we chose Paris because the mere mention of that city made my granddaughter laugh out loud and dance in circles on the spot. That's a good enough reason, I think!

My granddarling is an easy child to be with. She's funny, generous, extremely helpful and very thoughtful, so traveling with her will not be a hardship at all. Her first trip away from home was to Ireland and Wales last spring with her high school tour group, and she enjoyed it completely. So, it's a joy to be planning this trip with her, because she's so enthusiastic about being in Paris...AND London!

Slowtrav is my travel site, and my Slowtrav family have been incredibly generous in helping me with the many questions I've asked and the help I've sought. After posting a question on the France section of the message board, asking for help choosing the most suitable neighbourhood in Paris for us, the people on Slowtrav gave me heaps of great information. Finally, we chose the 6th Arrondissement, St. Germain., because it has an excellent variety of places to explore and great shops for us to enjoy.

Seems like this year's travel consists of a lot of little jaunts, a few days here, a few days there.
That's vastly different from my usual "take a month off and get out of Dodge" trips in the past. Wonder if that has anything to do with a changing perspective due to a change in careers?

In the olden days, I'd work solid, month after month, until I was totally exhausted, then take a month off and spend the first 2 weeks catching up, sleeping, reading, vegging. Only after that would I actually begin my vacation.

The last few years, I've stopped working myself to death for nearly a year, and then sleeping for a week before beginning to enjoy my vacation. I've learned to take better care of myself, and to do that on a daily basis, not just when I'm burnt to a crisp and cannot take another step.

Now, I am learning to take little breaks, a few days here and a few more there. It seems to be working! So far, in the past couple of years, I haven't felt completely wasted at all, and I think it is all due to mon petite vacations.

So far this year, I've taken a few days off to visit my son in Guelph and my granddaughter in Pembroke, Ontario. Next week, I've booked a few days away from work and I'm going to spend those days in Edmonton, helping a dear friend celebrate his 40th birthday. I'm also taking another friend to the opening night of the Edmonton Opera Society's HMS Pinafore, compliments of my now 40 year-old buddy. Five days off, not traveling very far, but a mini-vacation, nonetheless!

After these days off, I've planned a 5 day getaway in Vancouver, to attend my company's awards ceremonies and conference. I'll spend a few days visiting friends in the city, in between the conference have-tos and must-attends.

Toward the end of March, I'm going to enjoy a couple of weeks in Savannah, Georgia for a North American get-together with Slowtrav's lovely members. Slowtrav is the best site in the internet Universe, and it has been the source for most of the incentive and direction that I've used to make my trips and vacations take shape.

So, lots of little vacations now, rather than one big whopper.
I think I've actually learned something really important about feeding my soul, resting my mind and my body and caring for myself in a loving and gentle way. It's about time, I'd say.

"The alternative to a vacation is to stay home and tip every third person you see." ~ Author Unknown

I'm going to Savannah.
Savannah, Georgia.
Really and truly...I'm actually going to Savannah!

I've wanted to go to Savannah, Georgia for ages, ever since I watched "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" one sultry hot Hawaiian January afternoon in 1999. I was on vacation, and 4 days into that trip, I came down with the worst case of 'flu I've ever had. Imagine being in Hawaii in that glorious weather and luscious location...and I'm sicker than a junkyard dog with a huge fever and headache.

I struggled into my jeans and a T-shirt, drove to Blockbuster and picked up 10 movies for 10 days for $10. Returning home to my little air-conditioned cottage, I wrapped up in a blanket and with a huge jar of iced tea and a bottle of Advil, proceeded to sog my way through that stack of movies.

The first 9 movies were forgettable.
To this day, I have no idea what I watched...it was merely for putting in time until I started feeling better.

The last movie left on the floor by the TV was Midnight in the Garden. I left it until last because I'm not a huge Clint Eastwood fan and I wasn't looking forward to seeing any movie that he'd directed. I had no idea what it was about, but I can tell you this... a few frames into it and I was hooked.
H-o-o-k-e-d, hooked.

I adored the look of the city of Savannah in the movie, the architecture, the glorious squares full to overflowing with luscious landscaping.
I soaked up the sights and sounds of the south...mostly that delicious southern drawl that rolled over my fevered brow like liquid honey over warm toast. I watched every single second of that movie, twice over.

Then, I wrote in my journal, "Some day, I am going to go to Savannah and see if it is all that it seems in this movie."

So, here I am, 9 years later and I'm actually going to Savannah! Slowtrav is a travel site that I belong to and we are holding a get-together for all of our North American members who can join us, and we are meeting in Savannah. So far, about 100 of us are meeting in that beautiful city to share good food, a few chilled libations and more than a few late night visits with each other.

I know the time will fly by and before I know it, I will be on a flight headed home. But, for the precious time I'm in Savannah, I plan to enjoy every single second of it.
I'm actually going to Savannah.
Amazing.

"Nothing happens unless first a dream." ~ Carl Sandburg

Photo credit:
Georgia Department of Economic Development