England 2017: Borders

Emma's souvenir.

Paris

Okay, okay. I know it's just a layover but we did not care.We got to hang in Paris! I didn't necessarily need a stamp to my passport (though I looked into the process but we were only there three hours and that is about how long the process to actually cross the border would take.) All I cared about was that I could say that I had been there

No matter what anyone says, my layovers DO count!

   Even though it was only a layover, we could still see the Eiffle Tower from the plane and we decided to take advantage of the cafes that were there as well as the shopping. Keeping in mind the fact that I can make a memorable experience out of simple pleasures such as a cup of coffee.

 I stopped into a place called Buy Paris Duty Free. Not the most exotic name for a French boutique shop but I was able to find an assortment of fine chocolates to bring back my husband who was ever so kind about me traveling, leaving work early and  battling traffic the day before  to get us to the airport on time.

 Heathrow International

   I'm not one of these folks whose afraid to look out the window of a plane at an altitude of 10,000 feet. It was a clear day as we could see one side of the English Channel to the other between France and England. We could see mile after mile of English countryside until the flight path eventually led us to where the London Eye, the rings of Wembly Stadium and the Thames river were all in our view.

    In the times I have been through Heathrow International, it has never really ever been a nightmare for me. The flow of traffic was smooth, the signage is clear, and I was always able to find my luggage quickly. As we arrived, we swiftly made our way through the jet portal and the terminal. We walked and rode the conveyors. Just as routine as I remembered. As we passed one sign for Baggage Claim after another, in the midst of my excitement, I had hoped that our luggage was not lost and waiting for us when we arrived to the area. However, that concern dissipated as my plan came to an abrupt halt. A very crowded room and a slow moving line stood in our way. Though I knew this was not impossible, I began to worry about Emma. We had just arrived and we were about to experience everything we had talked about for the last two years. Though I knew Emma was ready for a first adventure abroad, the long day, the hour-long wait at the border, a thirty minute ride on the tube train and jet lag to come would make a weary traveler of her.



 Earl's Court
 
  We walked through what seemed to be a maze of  many stairways in different directions leading to many rooms through very short corridors. Architecture somewhat different from endless hallways we have to walk through in our hotels here in the US. Our room was small and with a bit of trendy decor located outside of this old English building. There was a garden. It was green, quiet and the morning glories were still in bloom. I didn't need a fancy resort with chandeliers, a monogrammed bath robe or an ice bucket filled with campaign. There may not have been much of our day left as we settled into our cozy little place that afternoon in Earl's Court but we knew we would own the days to come.

I was ready to cue the music. This is the beginning of my song.

 Pret A Manger is a popular deli chain in the UK
with a few locations in the US. It is always the first place I go once I get off the trains

   Though my 11-year-old was sacked out,  I was hungry. It all began with  a rich prosciutto sub on a very coarse whole grain roll. The Vino Cabernet I had with it added to the experience making the take away sandwich seem very gourmet. I reminded myself that I wasn't here to worry about bills, schedules, or home repairs. I was going to demand
 my freedom from all of that for few days
and do this jet lag right.

England 2017-Domino

                 
I was a nervous wreck all day. In my past travels, I had had flight cancellations at the last minute, near missed flight connections and the ever feared possiblility of not being in the system.

  I had to work that morning for a few short hours trying to stay focused and not be distracted of what all needed to be done that afternoon before I would leave that evening.
I cashed in three years worth of loose change adding up to
$344 from the coinstar machine at my local grocery store. The machine backed up a few times and I had to find an attendant to help me. I would have forgone the commision I had to pay for the use of the machine and cashed it all in at the bank for free. I tried this initially before going to the grocery store but I was informed by the banker that the coins had to be rolled. I'll have to make a note of that for the future.

  Once everything was crossed off the check list, my husband texted me saying he would be able to get off work early that day to get us to the airport sooner. It was 4:30 and though I dreaded it and GPS had proven the inevitabity, there would most certainly be traffic.

  Never was there a jam so long and so slow and I sweated bullets through the whole thing eventhough I still had three hours. Then three hours became two hours and fifty five minutes and I fought to not panic. All I needed was to make it through that initial first step of arriving on time and checking in with time left over and I would be fine. I checked my bag 3 times during that ride to be sure the passports were still there.

 Traffic left us with two hours and 35 minutes to spare before take off. The most painful step in the process was over. Me and my sweet Emma were checked in and laughing while on our way to our gate.

  Air France flight number 689 was on schedule and waiting for us on the tarmac. The sun was setting
as we made our way to the entrance. The flight attendants greeted us.


Bon Soir!


~Lets do this!~

                                                                              








 .....and I had wine with dinner on the plane.



                                                                        Jessie J-Domino
                                      ( The song that happened to be on my mind at the time...)

                                      
  

England 2017: Pool Parties, Check Lists, and Bridges

  They say vitamin B helps with stress. I try to remember this when the size of my family and their demands become more and more of a reality.
 
I leave for England in 5 days and over the past two weeks we have had strep throat, one graduation with festivities and financing to follow, two broken air conditioners, a broken dish washer, head lice, and an unknown skin rash while having the lovely pleasure of mood swings and hot flashes through it all.
 
Over the last three years in between my previous travels abroad, I have had my share of much needed Calgon moments.

  However in the midst of everything, I managed to find a temporary oasis while attending our neighborhood pool party. The sun was shining, the water was cool and I was free with my thoughts of what was to come. The DJ played Songs like "Firework" by Katie Perry and "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz. As they filled the air, I was left feeling powerful and charged over the what was to be just a few days ahead. I had made my check list which included me finding my foreign outlet adapter, calling all my banks, visiting a Coinstar machine to unload 3 years worth of coins to fund my spending money, and a shopping trip to Forever 21 for a few of those $3 shirts they sell. Once again, reliving the fond preparation memories from my 2 previous experiences abroad.

  I daydreamed of my first cup of tea with red phone booths in view out the window of my cafe. I even looked forward to my movie selection on the plane after take off. Moments where vitamin B would not be as necessary. However, the anticipation of all this began unexpectedly to fade.

 There were bridges.

 Two bridges to be exact. I knew exactly where they were and had crossed one of them before. A place where visions of calm waters, historical beauty amidst the skyline and where a dream came true for me had become gruesome blood bath in an instant. I can spare the details of how bad it must have been as I do not want to visit that place in my mind. My home away from home was attacked 9 days before I would return. I was angry.
 
  The unthinkable notion that I would not board a plane nine days later began to lurk. Then again, was a decision even necessary. What where the chances? Though time would pass and the news story would no longer be trending, there was much to consider-my daughter, our safety, the concern of my  family members and waning interest on my part caused by senseless fear. But still, I made a decision anyway.
  
   On June the 12, 2017 at 8:20PM, I will get on a plane. I will go to England. I will cash in my coins, drink a little wine, and quickly sleep off the jet lag. I will continue to dream. My daughter and I will bond and I know we will be safe. I made a promise to her as well as to myself. Three years is long enough.
 
March 22rd, 2017: Westminster Bridge
June 3rd, 2017: London Bridge

Both locations will be remembered for being attacked by acts of terrorism on two separate occasions but London will endure and will always be a part of me.

England 2017

Everyone has a guilty pleasure and a different way of pampering themselves. Examples of this may come in the form of a pedicure, a triple mocha latte, or maybe a girls night out to go see Billy Joel in concert. We all need a reason to urge ourselves to "live a little."

I for one however, have had one pedicure in my life, drink black only in the mornings and I have already seen Billy Joel in concert. Not that I don't enjoy any of the above, it's just that given the life I live, I just need to play a little harder is all. The play may be a little less frequent, but harder.

Traveling to England with my children was something I started back in 2013 when my oldest daughter graduated from the 8th grade. I had the chance to revisit this majestic place one year later when my second oldest graduated from the 8th grade.

It has been 3 years now and no one else has graduated from the 8th grade. While I am feeling restless and it won't be for another 3 more years for the next oldest to reach this milestone, I have decided to take her a little early after she graduates from the 5th grade instead.


Emma

It all started with a promise I made to her 2 years ago. By making this promise, I am committed. Not only for her but for me as well as this decision was equally as important to both of us.

She is the middle child out of the 5. I couldn't breathe when I saw her for the first time. After many ultrasounds and concerns that she would be born below the normal weight and length, she came out healthy weighing in at 7 pounds and 6 ounces. As a baby, she was not content and I spent every free minute I had holding her. She was the baby of the family for a very short time until she had to share the spotlight with her younger sister born two years later.

Though she demanded my attention as a baby, she has grown to become very independent. In fact, she is now probably the least needy out of all of them. I expect this out of my children as with 5 of them I am not in a position to wait on them hand and foot and they need to learn to solve their own problems at times. However, not being needed by her as much, I often feel a bit disconnected.

Each of my five children are on a schedule to have a one on one Saturday with me once a month. Emma has her own special interests outside of Toys R Us. She has a sense of adventure which I highly take advantage of since I do as well. She will enjoy a day of horse back riding or ice skating over a trip to Target to buy the lastst season of My Little Pony or Shopkins (she's pretty much grown out of these things anyway). There have been many memories from our adventures.

Getting Lost Is My Goal

I have no concerns what so ever with regard to whether or not she is ready for this excursion.
The itineraries for these trips are arranged solely by me as well as the financing and daily planning after we arrive. So far, in our planning efforts, she has helped me with the hotel selection and was very particular with regards to decor and amenities. We took the virtual walk on Google from Earl's Court station to the district in Kensington to where our hotel is located so that we won't get lost after we arrive. Our package included this hotel stay and a one-stop flight to Paris via Air France. And with that, one click of the mouse and it is done.

With the itinerary booked and funds raised, I am now creating a list of things to do based on the many British communities that I have subscribed to over the last three years. I bought a new purse and Emma's passport arrived after two weeks of the 6-8 weeks quoted processing time.

Unlike my previous posts, this one will be one of many as a series that will begin now and continue on until after I return.

This royal journey of ours will begin in exactly 4 weeks on June 12th.

Over the Rainbow

As it had been in the past, Spring break trips are usually not planned by me. This left me with the advantage of having the passengers seat...with a longer scenic route ahead due to unusual circumstances.

 An historic and very bizarre occurrence took place in the city of Atlanta where I live that week before. These days, startling headlines on the news is not unheard of. However, when live coverage of a raging inferno is being reported it is far more subject to rouse undivided attention. After a fire mysteriously started under a bridge below the most traveled interstate in the Southeast, becoming fully engulfed within minutes, then finally leading to the collapse of the entire section of the bridge, a new course to our destination had to be planned. Though we would be among many inconvenienced travelers and I will likely not be able to go to IKEA and time soon for a while, no one was injured and the whole thing was quite spectacular!

While the idea of traveling anywhere always gives me a rush, the usual excitement, travel preparations from the night before and life right now in general left me exhausted. I woke up with an unusually diminished amount of excitement that following spring morning. The fatigue coupled with dreary weather left me in a dismal mood before the excursion were to begin. I had hoped a detour through the back country roads would turn things around.

 The girls guzzled through to the last juice box while mom and I visited as we passed the many roadside produce stands, antique flea markets and every species of donkey, cattle and goat known to man throughout the many farmlands on that road less traveled. We passed through small towns never heard of some of which had no traffic lights. In exchange for gridlock on the highway, our only loss was about one hour of additional time on the road.

After settling into the hotel, sifting through the travel bags for hair ties, locating the tops and or bottoms of the swimsuits before swimming in the pool, a glass of Merlot would finish off the evening. However, routine would the next day be forgotten.

Out on the road the next day, city streets with images of town houses, Home Depots and Taco Bells gradually faded only to become open lands of grass covered marshes, seagulls and palm trees. Bridges and shipyards were now visible and the sun glowed against the waters which we crossed over. We drove for miles and no sign of any buildings, traffic jams or reminders of routine obligation. The dreary clouds of yesterday had blown away with the wind.



Where the land ends and the mystery of the infinite takes over.




Though my responsibilities are many, I find my self here alone.

 As I want it to be.

Even if not for long.

The ocean stirs the senses.

Here I create my world.

The sharp edges of broken shells feel good against my feet as I walk along the shore.

Each a different color, shape size and story.

A cargo carrier is but a blur off in the distance. It's grandiose image would appear more clearly as it reaches the inlet.

A seagull visits me only for long enough for me to get a good glimpse of him.

As I walk, the wet sand sucks in my feet like a child with a lollipop.

I see and admire an abandoned sand castle only to later feel angry after I see that someone had kicked it over.

The surf was high and majestic and the water was cold. My hair was sticky from the salt.

The sun left a red spot where the sunscreen would not reach, but a pleasant reminder of where I had been.

Then I was hungry.

I think I will!

 

Place visited: Tybee Island, GA
Date visited: April 4th, 2017      

Original art work was created in place of photography.                 



                                          "Over The Rainbow" By Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

                                            

Big Rock Candy Mountain

There was a time when I would hear stories among co-workers, family members and friends of the many outings and excursions to beer festivals, Chili cook offs, and afternoons spent at the man-made snow parks here in the south. There are many more to list but regardless, from the stories they told, nothing ever sparked my interest when I would hear them. Maybe it was because they just didn't have a whole lot to say,  they were bad story tellers, or maybe perhaps, they really were of very little interest to me at the time. Or quite possibly, I was subconsciously jealous in the fact that most of my outings included trips to Target, the elementary school cupcake distributions, then the inevitable trip to the dentist office for a crown.
  While I still find these things necessary every now and then, I decided to break the boundaries of these limitations a few years back. Upon the loss of a family member who was taken by cancer at a young age, I realized how  of how precious life really is. So with this, after years of commitment to diapers, Spaghettios and Clifford the Big Red Dog, I finally made my great escape and got on a plane and flew 5000 miles away from home. I came back of course, but this decision would forever change my perspective on life.
   Though I am not able to jump a plane any time I feel, I would never quite look at everything the same way. Grassy fields would always look more picturesque, waterfalls seemed more lively and a cup of coffee in a bistro would seem just a bit more flavorful. At this point I had decided that I would never wait around for adventure to come and find me. The only thing I needed to do was to stop wondering about things and just go.
   So here we are today on a winter Saturday afternoon. The decision had been made for me and my significant other to take a drive. It had been raining that day and the clouds were beginning to break as the hills before us became visible off in the distance. We had become among the nestled in these hills along with smoking chimneys of country homes, old wood sheds and confederate flags proudly flying. The visible signs to where were wanted to go were helpful but it was actually nice to have the feeling of being lost.   

  After a quiet, uncongested drive through the countryside, we came upon what seemed like something that should be a best-kept secret. The gravel road led the way to a very welcoming oasis where the vines could be seen in full view from behind. We were among many visitors, some of which were regulars in this lovely establishment. The decor was trendy and rustic. It was warm inside and comforting with sofas, board games, a vintage cocktail Pacman arcade game, and most importantly-wine!


 
  Though my good times had been limited in years past, I always enjoyed a nice glass of Merlot or Chardonnay at the end of a long day. However, I was ready to sweeten that up a little. This winery is unique in that it's main specialty is fruit wine. I'll take my antioxidants anyway I can! We were handed our wine tasting menu and made our selection of five:


Dry Blueberry- Sweet but yet dry and smooth. 
Very sophisticated and rich in color without the bitter bite of dry wine.

Dry Strawberry- Same as the blueberry but sweet with authentic strawberry flavor.

Medium Red Muscadine- I personally had never tried a muscadine or even heard of such a thing. It is a type of large grape I with a strong, pastoral aroma and less sweetness. Very unique!

Sweet Blueberry-Would drink this one by the full 16 oz glass if I did not know it was wine.

Lemon Strawberry: A bit more light-hearted and fun. Probably would enjoy this embellished with a small umbrella while lounging at the pool this summer.

All of the wines were 10%-16% none of which could be detected.

If only they came in the form if a juice box. The wines tasted about as good as the finest juice box I could ever give to my kids. We were even provided with Goldfish crackers in between each to clear our palates. I would have liked to have tried all of them.

This adorable red tractor was on display.

It doesn't look like there is a whole lot going on in the vineyard as it is winter. It is long past harvest time and we are far from berry season.

It was once again that time.

We all get hungry and we were in the North Georgia countryside. Not necessarily a bad when it is time to eat.
 We thought it would be best to order a family plate with a variety of items since it was a new BBQ place we had never been to.

We ransacked pork ribs, one half chicken, sausage, spicy baked beans, pulled chicken, coleslaw and corn bread.

No, I did not, but it makes a whole lot of sense.

When all was said and done, there was one fry left that neither of us would take.


Place visited:

The only thing I ever really knew about Alto Georgia was that it was home to a prison. For this reason, I had never really though of this area to be a point of interest for an outing. Some things are best when discovered by accident.

Sweet Acres Winery, Alto, Georgia

Provisions:

Mickey Pigs, Alto Georgia



Date visited: February 18th, 2017



                           Please enjoy this hilarious little ditty by Harry McClintock-1928
                                                         "Big Rock Candy Mountain"

Wanderlust...On Top of the World-Happy New Year!



Music Pedagogy has been my whole world since 1998. However, it has ebbed and flowed as far as business goes and there have been slower times than others. This as well as the quietness of an empty house during the day after my youngest went off school has made me consider exploring other vocations-perhaps maybe becoming a flight attendant. I was actually brave enough to send off an application to an airline called ExpressJet and astonishment far surpassed my bravery when I received an invitation to interview (a blog for another day).

Since God pulls my strings, he tugged pretty hard when I was to be sent either to Detroit or Dallas. Though I had opportunity for endless travel, I declined and my pedagogy business has since taken off. It has now grown to the point to where I am working on Saturdays and my weekend wanders are not as possible as they used to be.

Throughout my work week, many interactions that I often hear
among the people I am in contact  with are "We'll be out of town this week." That can mean more than one thing: I either get a little break from the music lesson that week or it is simply time for me to become flat out jealous. Though I have had my share of travels this year, not all of which I have written about, they were are all of great value (for me, even something as menial as a trip to Walmart can be an experience worth writing about. Therefore, I seize adventure any chance I get). Though sometimes travel plans are made on my behalf, there are just times when the decision has to be made on my own.

My luck turned when I realized that New Years Eve was on a Saturday this year. I had a reason not to work and the decision to travel was a must. Not only did I get to travel, I didn't have to drive.

While I was taking care of money matters that day I would leave as I did not want to be troubled with this after I left, my mom and my three youngest kids were already in the car waiting. My mom has a bigger and newer car and Hilton points to offer. Dad was thrilled that we were leaving a more quiet house behind.

Time and time again I have always been fortunate to leave the driveway under clear skies. It was a mad rush to the car as I was ready to get lost. There are times when you just have to let yourself be spoiled rotten and not feel guilty about it.

Hilton points were built up enough to cover us for two room. I would take which ever one had the wine and tried to persuade at least one of the kids to sleep with grandma. The first night traveling with kids is usually the hardest. They are out of their element and don't go to sleep very quickly. The room is crowded, hair is tangled, mom is frazzled and everyone is just out of place. All would be forgotten the next day.

I am very fortunate to have been brought up in a family that was never really concerned about how soon we have to make it from point A to point B in X amount of time during our travels. When I was a kid we would be on our way home from one of these weekend excursions before my parents would take a last minute detour to the outlet mall or the Corvette museum. Though I was just a kid then and all I wanted to do was go home, that sense of spontaneity was passed down to me. We had absolutely no plans for the day what so ever.

That next morning, we drove about 26 miles from our hotel and did nothing more than just followed signs to points of interest. Some led to high rent districts and some to places that often attract attention with trendy boutiques and overpriced eateries. These are places I typically avoid. Then there were other places with more of a different sort of appeal. Those with rustic industrial buildings turned into art studios as the mountains with homes imbedded in them stood in the background. I like houses inbedded in mountains behind the view of rustic industrial buildings. I want a house inbedded in a mountain behind the view of rustic industrial buildings.

We discovered that this town was an artist's reverie. As we went further into the community, we saw brick walls embellished with art deko, stray cats that were fed by the locals, and people with backpacks walking around that made you wonder what their story was.

Old industrial buildings had been transformed into art galleries where local artist had not only displayed and sold their work but also housed their workshops.

Praying Mantis made of scrap metal. Appears as thought it is comprised of a propane tank as well as iron rods. It was located in the "square" of the art studios.

I'm not really a cat person but my daughter is and this piece made by a local artist will never be used to serve coffee or placed in the dishwasher.

As I marveled at all these things my mom said "Sam, you are a hippie!" "I replied "Yes I guess I am."

I was hungry.

It was indeed that time again. My worst fear is that we would be stuck with only places like Applebee's or Steak N Shake and I would never find that best kept secret dive.

Instead we found an old diner. The type with the retro printed carpet, waitresses with coffee pots and syrup on the table. It was like back in the good old days when it took a while for the food to arrive and senior couples once again returning after having dined there their whole lives.
I found a club sandwich to be comforting that day. The surrounding mountain views on a cool, brisk, overcast day was visible through the window by our table.

My lunch was also my dinner that night. The sandwich was so huge I had to eat it as though it were a kabob (since my photograhy sucks and I don't typically take pictures of food on my plate, I'm afraid you'll have to use your imagination for this one). It was so good. It was New Years Eve. I drank wine.

Fog draped the mountain pass the next morning on our way home. The car was filled with conversation, sticky faces and the noise from the DVD. It was after Christmas and very little money was spent but as I said goodbye to North Carolina and 2016 I knew I had started the new year having gained the actual truth about how I live that of a superior life.

 Places visited: Ashville, North Carolina (Stayed in Hendersonville, NC)

Provision: Cornerstone Cafe, Ashville NC





                                              "On Top of the World"-Imagination Dragons