French Lick Resort

Earlier in the year, Andrew and I had decided we weren't going to take a family vacation.  We had to purchase new windows due to a homeowner's insurance inspection, and then we agreed to help Thomas by paying for his new engine that he needed this spring.  Either expenditure would've been more than we would spend on a vacation, let along both of them occurring in the same year.  On top of that, Andrew was taking his 50th birthday trip with his high school friends to Montana.  I had decided we would just take a bunch of overnight trips and enjoy a day here and there.  However, as the summer began, I realized I was really sad that I wasn't taking a trip.  I had always wanted to visit this resort in Indiana.  I love vacations where we can park when we arrive and not have to leave again.  The best part (as far as I was concerned)?  It was less than a four hour drive.  Andrew would tell you the best part was that we could bring Abby.  I had planned to stay two nights, but Andrew convinced me we should stay a third night...and I'm so, so glad we did!

When we arrived we literally parked the car and didn't see it again until Wednesday.  The place was enormous, and absolutely gorgeous.  Dinner our first night was at this amazing steak restaurant right down the hall from our room.  The waitress chuckled when we ordered chocolate martinis as our dessert, but that was exactly what we wanted.  We spent the evening walking around locating things throughout the hotel and walked to the casino.  We were fish out of water there!

Monday morning we got up and had the buffet that was really good.  We then decided to go back to the room and take a nap, because that is what vacation is about!  After a couple of hours we headed to the adult pool and the poolside bar where we spent another couple of hours until it was time to catch the shuttle to dinner at a golf course.  To be honest, it wasn't the greatest meal.  We decided to spend the evening at the Casino, where we laughed a lot because we didn't have a clue what we were doing!  We ended up spending about $12 there, but then we realized the Reds were on the giant screen and decided to have a drink and watch some of the game, then we headed back to the room and ordered a bottle of wine from room service.

Tuesday morning we started with coffee, then we took the shuttle over to the other hotel named the West Badin.  It was just as amazing as the French Lick hotel but very different architecture.  We had a lovely lunch in the atrium and walked the grounds.  The gardens at West Badin were really beautiful.  We took the shuttle back to our hotel, and decided it was nap time again!  We didn't have specific dinner plans, but we decided we'd grab something small, then head to the casino.  We really didn't plan to gamble, but our plan was to have some drinks and watch the Reds game again.  Unfortunately, it ended up being postponed, so we went back to the room and ordered another bottle of wine from room service.

It was a perfect little trip with just the right amount of time.  I felt relaxed, and I appreciated that the kids were at home to handle the cats.  While we splurged on meals and desserts and drinks, I was grateful that we didn't spend a lot on gas, and since we were able to go Sunday-Wednesday, the lodging wasn't overly expensive.  I'm so, so grateful that we took a few days to get away, just the two of us (and Abby too)!  And I'm also very grateful that we already made reservations for an ocean vacation next year!

And now it's been another three weeks

With the passage of another three weeks, we are here at the last weekend of summer.  I'm looking forward to having a regular routine again.  I can't lie though, I do wish that my regular routine didn't have me getting up quite so early.  And as I told Andrew, those Friday afternoons are going to be really rough.  I worked very few Fridays this summer, and most Thursdays I was out of there no later than 2pm.  I appreciate the more laid-back and flexible schedule of the summer, but I will also appreciate the nicer paychecks of the school year!

Andrew and I had a wonderful trip three weeks ago, but I'll write about that in a different post.  There have been a few other things happening as well, like the Olympics, but again, other posts.

I can write though, that this last weekend in summer has been very fall-like, and I'll happily take that!

Three weeks later

I enjoyed my week off, Andrew had a great time in Montana...and here we are in the later part of July.

I need to explain my absence.  My kids are young adults, and it truly has been the toughest phase so far.  But those things are their story and not mine.  I truly do believe they will be okay in the long run, and they are safe, but sometimes the choices they make only eliminate their options for the future.  Anyway, it's just hard, sometimes, to want to visit my blog.

I had a wonderful week off.  I was amazed at how much I got done.  I've been doing a lot of organizing, especially of photos. I was especially thrilled to get our bedroom picked up.  Catherine was here for a couple of days, and I always enjoy having her around.  Her job is going really well, and we are so grateful for that.

We spent the Fourth of July with our dear friends.  Several of their other friends joined us, and it was really a lot of fun.  Their younger son flew in from Texas and brought his girlfriend.  She seemed really nice, and we are glad we got to meet her.  After the other friends had left, we stayed and played a game with our friends and their girls.  We really appreciate that their girls love us like family as well.

The next week Andrew went to Montana with high school friends.  Including spouses there were twelve altogether.  I was invited, but I had no desire to make a very expensive trip to Montana.  He had an amazing trip and even was able to spend a day at Yellowstone.  I'm so, so glad that he was able to make this trip, but I'm also very glad he's back!

This week I had a church meeting and we visited with my grandmother.  After a really, really awful May, Grandma is doing a lot better.  She enjoyed the fact that I brought Andrew with me to visit her.

Tomorrow, Andrew and I are headed to our own little trip away.  We even get to take our sweet Abby with us!  Catherine is coming here to take care of the cats because Thomas's work schedule is too challenging.  I've been looking forward to this all summer!

Off work for the next ten days

As I told Andrew earlier today, this is the best part of every break...the very beginning.  I'm sure everyone agrees with that.  I love my job, but I can't lie that having ten nights to go to bed and not have to be up early the next morning is always delightful.  I'm not entirely sure what the next ten days are going to bring, but I know there won't be any alarm for most of them!

A puzzle for my dad

 

At the end of the school year, our staff received Amazon gift cards from the school as a thank you.  Amazon carries my favorite puzzle brand, and I decided to check out what might be available.  As soon as I saw this puzzle, I immediately added it to my cart and knew that I had to have it.  Not only did I love the colors and the theme, but my Dad's name was Bob.  And if any man would have ever been the kind to own a hardware store, it was him.  As I told my boss one day recently, he could fix absolutely anything.

Putting this puzzle together brought me such joy, but in all honesty, it also brought a few tears.  I miss my dad so much, but I'm so grateful his suffering ended when it did.  I know my dad was truly a special man, and I loved feeling him with me while I put this puzzle together.  I had thought about gluing it together and keeping it permanently, but I had so much fun putting it together I decided to take it apart, and maybe next year I'll enjoy it again!

Back to work tomorrow

My little mini 'staycation' is coming to an end and I'm back to work tomorrow.  The nice thing is that it will already be Thursday, and I'm not sure if there is any need for me to work Friday.  Even if I do...it's a two-day week!  And next week I'll only work four days before before the office closes for the July 4th week.  This is what I love about my job in the summer!!

The last six days have been wonderfully special, starting almost right after I got off Thursday.  We had won tickets to the Dayton Dragons in a silent auction and we took our dear friends with us.  There have been some issues I won't get into, but the love and compassion that they have shown us during a really rough time is indescribable.  We watched about half the game, then walked across the street for a beer.  Then we spent Friday evening at their house hanging out as well.  It was a great start to the time off!

Saturday I didn't leave my house at all.  I did some cleaning, and just really enjoyed a bit of down time.  Sunday we had planned on church, but I woke up not feeling well.  Sadly, three days later, I'm still not feeling great.  The kids were all here Sunday evening for dinner, and we are enjoying the beginning of that tradition.

Monday, Andrew and I decided to head north and make a quick visit to the Air Force Museum, then we drove even further north to meet up with my mom and several of my high school friends.  A very dear friend had flown in from California, and it was so incredibly great to spend the evening together.  It had been nine years since he'd been here, and that is entirely too long!

Yesterday was our one evening "away", but it's a bit comical.  Andrew and I won a night at an airbnb property in a different silent auction, but I'm not sure it was even two miles away from our home.  It was so needed though.  We drove out to the state park for dinner, then drove back to the place and watched the Reds game before I turned in fairly early.  It was a really great evening to just have to ourselves.

Today, my California friend drove to our town and we spent the afternoon just the two of us.  I was kind of ready to be just "done" with people, but I'm so glad that we took this afternoon together.  It was so very special.

During all of this week, we've been under a heat advisory and/or warning.  It's been in the 90's all week with indices over 100.  This is NOT my kind of weather, and I suspect that is why I haven't been feeling great.  Sadly, there is no break until Sunday when it will "only" be in the upper 80's, then next week we are back to all 90's again.  Not at all enjoyable.

I'm ready to get to back to work...and then enjoy another weekend!

A few days off in the middle of June

It's the middle of June.  I'll be honest, time has not been flying by, and I'm 100% okay with that.  Part of the "not flying" though, has been our adult children, and that's hard.  My kids are good kids, but oh my goodness, some of the choices they make are astounding.  They were taught better, and sometimes it's hard to watch.  But, as they are adults, watching is all I can really do.

I've taken several days off this week, and I'm so very glad that I did.  I needed this down time, and I'm not feeling great so it's even more appreciated.  I'm very grateful for the life I have.