Growing up, my Dad worked multiple jobs and shifts to support us, so our vacations were trips to the lake. My grandparents had a cabin
at Cape Fair on Lake Taneycomo in Missouri, and that’s where our family went. When campers became the fad, my parents bought one of those pop-out campers for our trips. I loved fishing. more »
The worst part of airports is the announcements. Your flight has been delayed. This flight has been cancelled. The flight is now leaving from another gate. I love the convenience of flying, but only when everything works perfectly. Can you tell I just got off the phone with a friend who is stuck in an airport? More often than not, flight itineraries seldom work perfectly any more. So, here’s a couple of tips to help resolve your problems. more »
Boarding RitualsJust thinking about boarding the ship … makes me wish it was happening today. I remember the first time we boarded a cruise ship … we were amazed at the beauty of the Atrium, and, as we wondered the ship, we found so many beautiful areas that brought us great pleasure over the coming 7 days and nights. But, we both have a ritual that’s lasted since that first cruise, and it’s our signal to relax into vacation mode. more »
When Roger and I returned from our first cruise, we wanted our kids to experience cruising as well, because we just knew they’d love it, 
too. Our family is special, with two kids who are eleven years apart in age. When we left for this family cruise, our son was 19, and our daughter was 8. Our son was too old for the kids’ programs, but not old enough to enjoy some of the adult activities. I found I was constantly trying to make sure Eric was having a good time, while trying to engage Rachel more in our family cruise activities. more »
We’ve all got them. Certain songs, scents, situations, and anything else that immediately makes our minds travel to another place and 
time. Sometimes these are nice memories, and some are sad memories. Every time I hear the song, “How Great Thou Art”, my eyes fill with tears as I travel back in time to my Grandpa Pruitt’s funeral. This was one of his favorite songs, so it was the perfect song for his funeral. That song reminds me of every happy memory I ever spent with my granddad, but it also always reminds me the sadness I felt when he died.
On a lighter note, there are lots of triggers that make me think of cruising. Dining al fresco, enjoying a glass of wine on the patio, a frozen “foo foo” drink (as Roger calls them) especially if they’re served with a paper umbrella … all these things makes me long for a cruise. Lots of songs give me cruising fever. Any Jimmy Buffett song, the songs “Hot Hot Hot” and “Red, Red Wine”, and any song sang with a Caribbean accent makes my hips sway and my thoughts drift into island mode. There’s even a steel drummer, Darril Harp Edwards, (photo to the right) performing on various Little Rock restaurant patios recently who I love to close my eyes and listen. And, there’s more … but let’s stop for now for some feedback from my blog friends. What triggers you into island mode? Let me know …