Happy anniversary to us!
Today is our 1 year wedding anniversary…though we’ve been together for much longer.
For our present to each other, we’ve decided that travel is a good choice. Right now, it is either a summer cruise to Canada or a trip to Iceland..both have their pluses and minuses…
- Canada is very close by, so the trip would be easy
- There are actually direct cruises out of Boston, so the price is fairly cheap as well
- I’ve wanted to go back to Halifax since 2012 when I had the chance to work there for 2 days with Parks Canada. I would love to do a little bit of exploring.
- Canadians are some of my favorite visitors 🙂
- I figure I can bring back at least one big bottle of my favorite whiskey, maple syrup flavored whiskey. YUM
- Iceland looks absolutely beautiful in photographs
- It is a mere 5 hour direct flight from here, which is excellent
- Going to a fjord would make me so happy, its one of my favorite words
- I might be able to see the northern lights there
- I’m not sure anyone else I know has ever or will ever go there
So, its pretty even in my head…lots of ideas, never enough time or money!
Boston Harbor Islands
Stopped by the Harbor Islands the other day and took about 100 photos. Hopefully I will win a contest that is being run 🙂
This is the best photo I took that day.
New goals…
I’ve been feeling in a rut lately, and it has everything to do with the fact that I have a lot of time on my hands and waste it watching TV. And not even good TV…reruns from a decade ago. I caught myself watching America’s Next Top Model Season 10! Not good…
There are a ton of things I could be doing that I’m not. So, I want to change that.
One of the things I really want to do, however, is a bit trickier since I only have access to a car one day a week and I usually don’t do it alone…hiking.
I would love to go up to New Hampshire and get above tree line. It is one of my favorite places to be. However, I can’t get there by bus 😦
Since my new work year starts on October 1st, I figure that I will also start my new year that day. Time for some changes.
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Hawaii…
Not being a beach girl, I didn’t think that I would enjoy Hawaii as much as other people. What I didn’t realize is that Hawaii is awesome.
From the multiple black sand beaches to others with hot as lava when you walk across it sand to the one just steps outside of our hotel room, they were all awesome. We saw fish, all kinds of weird birds, and multiple green sea turtles.
Of course, I did get a humongous burn the very first full day we were there. Oops…but my husband got it worse with blisters forming on his.Â
Everything else on HI was awesome. It is a strange state…saw a feral donkey and goat hanging out together, chickens were everywhere in Kauai, signs for watching for cracks in the road. Just awesome.
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Photos under the cut.
Making it through…
A year ago this month, my grandmother celebrated her 93rd birthday.
13 days later she had a stroke and died in early June.
It has been a hard year without her. I didn’t often get to talk to her over the phone, but she had joined Facebook a while ago to be able to talk with her various grandchildren and relatives across the country. She really enjoyed the casino games on there 🙂
I’ve missed her a lot.
Blurry as heck Snowy Owl
Found a snowy owl down the street! So excited. Next time, I’m taking binoculars. Thanks to the people who told me where to look.
In like a lion, out like a norovirus?
Ugh, so this is the 2nd time in my life that I’ve had norwalk on New Year’s Eve. The first time was on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, I made it past midnight and then fainted in the bathroom of my cabin and didn’t eat for 2 whole days. I think I lost like, 10 pounds. Not cool.
Same kind of thing happened this year, too. Not only to me, but to 13 other people at a party I was at and other people across the country that I’m friends with. I shall be washing my hands with vigor for the next 3 months, most definitely.
Right now, there is a ton of snow coming down…its light and glittery. I hope that means shoveling will be easy tomorrow since we might get up to 16 inches of it.
Already read and finished my first book of 2014: “Apologies to My Censor” which I thought was going to be a travel type book, but was more memoir with travel in it. Not bad. A book on Charles Sumner is waiting to be finished and one on Benjamin Church and another on the French and Indian War are waiting to be started. I’m such a geek.
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Here is the last official photo of 2013. I say last official because I took some pathetic self portraits while sick and those aren’t going anywhere
Resolutions
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.” — Benjamin Franklin
Ben always can be counted on for some sage advice about life and the welcoming of a New Year is no different. This year is my first as an officially married woman and I’m happy that I will not be planning a wedding this year. However, we have the fun of planning our honeymoon, huzzah!
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Many resolutions will be attempted this new year…mostly things that I should have done years ago, but have put off for a variety of reasons.
- Open up at least 1 IRA
- Visit as many National Park sites in New England as I can
- Hike at least 3 times
- See a MOOSE!
- Get happier at work somehow
There are others, but these are the top 5 for next year beyond cleaning up the basement. Purging is the name of the game!
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- here are others
Luck…
I seem to be down on my luck lately…especially when it comes to catching the bus. The bus is the bane of my commuting existence. I often see the one I want driving away while I walk out of the house or work or whatever.
Today’s annoyance was a bus driver who stared at me while he made the turn past the bus stop I was trying to get to. Grr…
I wonder if there is a patron saint of people catching buses.
A Small Girl in the Great Outdoors 