Meanderings…..

On May 13, 2015 By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Humor/Light Hearted, Travel, Writing2 Comments

My husband has been in search of a classic older pickup for years. Recently he has become a bit more serious in his search. His criteria is a bit loose. Somewhere in the 1963 to 1972 range, preferably a Chevrolet, but he would consider a Ford.

We had an appointment in San Antonio on Saturday afternoon and while we were there we planned to look at a 1971 lilac pickup. Yes, it was painted lilac, but it was the right price range and the right year model. Then he discovered a 1969 blue Chevy in Waco. The ad for the Waco pickup said, runs good and well it wasn’t purple. So even though Waco is about 100 miles north and slightly East of Austin and San Antonio is approximately 80 miles south and slightly west of Austin, we decided we had time to see both vehicles.

We arrived at the dealer in a small town just outside of Waco a few minutes before it opened. We wandered over to a Walgreens to kill time. As we were passing the dealer we were glancing at the cars on the lot, when my son said, “Hey that Jeep has a bench seat on it.” Literally, someone had welded an actual bench on the back of a Jeep. Hmm, you don’t see that every day.

In Walgreen’s we roamed over to the clearance aisle, past the “as seen on TV aisle” and on to the toy and candy sections. I took a minute to check out all the pens and pencils. I love shopping for new pens and pencils but I managed to resist purchasing anything except an extra-large bag of M&M’s and some birthday and graduation cards!

Back at the car lot, we parked. While my son and husband got out to look at the truck, I waited in the car. I watched a pretty blond “girl” inside the building. She was wearing cut off shorts, a black tank topped with an unbuttoned white shirt. She stepped up to a mirror, gave her boobs an upward push while pulling downward on her tank top. Smiling I watched her fluff her hair and saunter out to the pickup. I’m sure she is very good at her job and knows a lot about cars, but she couldn’t quite get the hood to open and it wouldn’t start…… She wasn’t able to open the passenger door but she did have a beautiful smile. After a few minutes, one of her male associates came to assist but still the pickup didn’t start.

About 30 minutes and more patience than I would have had, my husband and son finally said thank you and stepped away. I asked if they were sure the vehicle had gas and was informed that yes, the plastic tank sitting in the bed of the pickup had plenty of gas. Uh, oh my! We left that pickup behind.

To get to San Antonio we took Highway 190 over to 281 which is a lined with beautiful Texas wild flowers and is much less congested than Interstate 35. Along the route there is sign after sign proclaiming numerous ranches. We briefly debated what is required to call your home a ranch. Just outside of Kempner, TX a sign proclaimed miniature donkeys for sale. When I commented, “Look, we don’t have one of those!” My husband and son said in unison, “No! And we don’t need one!”

As we passed through Burnet, TX we spotted a sign for a farmer’s market. It was a small market with probably ten vendors, but it looked like it might be worth stopping in. We started browsing the stalls when we noticed the wind was picking up. Just as we stepped in front of the Texas Herb Company and Crafty Threads, a huge gust of wind lifted the canopy and flipped it upside down behind the tables. Handmade soaps and other craft items were scattered all over the ground. Everyone rushed up to help. No one was injured and the table was righted with crafts stacked atop. I was amazed no one was injured by all the flying products and was heartened how quickly everyone rushed to help. Still willing to try shopping, we wandered to the Sage Creek Farms booth where we bought a lovely mahogany rolling pin. It turned out to be a successful stop after all.

When we got to Marble Falls we started searching for somewhere to eat. I spotted a food trailer that looked promising. Lee’s Food Trailer sported ads for a philly sandwich, gyros, catfish dinners and more. It seemed as if I wouldn’t have any trouble finding a non-meat food option.

I had the Falafel gyro, my husband had the beef and lamb gyro. My son had a classic philly sandwich. Lee’s did not disappoint. Everything was delicious! As we drove away completely satiated, my husband proclaimed, you know if you ever wanted to double back there to eat, I would go! High praise indeed.

Somewhere along the backroads of Texas, I discussed my funeral plans. All my nephews should be prepared. I requested they all show up with 1980’s shorts, tanks and sweatbands as I am laid to rest in my running clothes. Seemed fitting to me! I also learned that if you are going to honk at someone, you should always use the Chicago honk or just don’t bother. You should hold the horn down for at least 2 minutes.

We arrived in San Antonio finally, laughing and talking. After our appointment, we checked in on the lilac truck only to find out it was not on the market anymore.

So we have to start over on the pickup search but since it was mother’s day weekend, I was treated to a buffet at India Taj Palace where they have tasty dishes and serve warm from the grill naan bread made after you arrive and carried immediately to your table.

It was a wonderful day of meandering! I look forward to many more days just like it.

Veggie Burger , can I get fries with that?

On February 4, 2015 By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Humor/Light Hearted, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

When I first gave up red meat, chicken, pork etc., there were very few options for fast food dining. Sometimes when you travel it feels like fast food is the only option and certainly the most convenient. Today most national chain restaurants and many small local diners offer multiple options for vegetarians, vegans or any other meal plan you may follow.

Veggie burgers aren’t my favorite meal, but when Burger King started serving veggie burgers a few years ago, BK went to the top of my list for grabbing a quick meal while traveling. Today, people who want more alternative menu choices have many more options. I can almost always find a salad, a fish option or a bean dish. At the Counter Custom Built Burgers in NYC, I had a wonderful custom made Ahi Tuna burger. Many restaurants have developed their own veggie burger recipes. Elevation Burger in Austin, TX has a vegetarian and a vegan option. Both are equally delicious and made from real vegetables.

Recently, in the Dallas, TX area I was trying to find a quick drive thru meal. We stopped at a Taco Cabana, but I was stuck on the phone. I waved my husband inside thinking I just wasn’t in the mood for beans and rice.

There was an In-N-Out next door to the Taco Cabana. We pulled up to the drive thru window, I asked, “Do you have a veggie burger?”

A cheery, “Yes we do!” floated through the speaker. “Awesome”, I thought and replied, “I’ll take the combo with a veggie burger. No cheese and no sauce.” As she repeated back, “A veggie burger with lettuce and tomato only?” I answered, “That’s correct.”

As I Anticipated some yummy salty French fries, I pulled up to the window. This was my first visit to an In-N-Out burger and so far it was looking good. Receiving my food from a smiling server, we pulled into a parking spot to “check” the order. Diving into the fries was a delicious treat; hot, crispy, fresh and salty. Unwrapping the burger, I quickly realized something wasn’t quite right.

There was definitely lettuce and tomato, but that was it. No patty, just bread, lettuce and tomato. My husband carried the burger back inside. When the server asked if I only wanted lettuce and tomato and I said yes, that’s what I got.

When he came back out carrying the burger , he confirmed, “Nope, this is the In-N-Out version of a veggie burger.” Laughing, I had a delicious lettuce and tomato sandwich. At least it didn’t have any soy. Kudos to In-N-Out on the most authentic veggie burger I’ve ever had.

You are not traveling alone…

On January 21, 2015 By DGThomaIn Friends, Musings, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

Today will be my 44th post. I began posting weekly in May 2014 and have posted each week since. For those of you who joined me, thank you. I love to read your posts and spend time with you through your writings or photographs.

The past week has been a busy whirlwind of activities, some good and some not so much. I wasn’t able to write this week, so I searched my snippets to see if I might stumble across a ready made post. No luck.

I found a poem of sorts I had written for someone special and the last line was “Please remember each time you look at it, you are not traveling alone”. The line referred to a ring I had given as a gift.

The Culture Monk, a blog I follow, posted today about community. As I read the post I thought about that line. I realized community was exactly what I was describing.

My interpretation of community is an ever changing sea of people and environments. Since December 19th, I traveled from Austin, TX to New York City, NY; back to Austin and immediately on to Tulsa, OK. I returned to Austin for a few days before being called to Wichita Falls, TX where I spent the last week. Now I am back in Austin and am scheduled to be in San Antonio, TX this weekend.

What a profound community I have experienced! One thing I know for certain. I am not traveling alone. During my travels, I was entertained by people, moved by others and exchanged smiles with many.

I received hugs, handshakes and words of encouragement. So I offer to you to “Remember you are never traveling alone”. There is always someone nearby with a smile or a story.

How Could I Resist “He’s the One”

On January 7, 2015January 7, 2015 By DGThomaIn Family, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, Travel, Writing6 Comments

I recently resurrected crocheting as a hobby. It’s been years since I created anything with yarn and a crochet needle. Crochet patterns and yarn have changed significantly. I practiced on some old yarn I found stored in my sewing supplies and contemplated what I should create.

When my daughter was scheduled for surgery on her broken ankle, I knew I would have some down time while I waited. I decided it was time to start a project. I intended to pass time during her surgery by crocheting. A great idea, but I didn’t get to the store before the surgery.

Because I would stay with my daughter in Tulsa while she recuperated, I picked up yarn the following evening. Although I had crochet needles at home, I picked up a new set along with a two skeins of yarn, (Yarn Bee, First Love, he’s the one) a beginner refresher book and a basket to hold the yarn. The baskets were half price so I couldn’t resist.

I found a basic afghan pattern and realized I would need a lot more yarn. The yarn I purchased was variegated so I decided not to worry about the lot#.

I headed back to the original Hobby Lobby and discovered I had bought the last two skeins. I did find and purchase 4 small skeins of a nice cotton blend. After all they were on clearance. How could I resist? En route to the second Tulsa location of Hobby Lobby on East 71st, I spotted a Barnes and Nobles and decided I would duck in for just a minute. An hour later I realized I had no idea what time the second Hobby Lobby closed. I paid for my books and rushed off in search of ‘he’s the one’.

As we pulled into the parking lot of the Hobby Lobby on 71st, I could see people milling about as I hurried toward the entrance. No luck. A store employee waved me away and mouthed, “We are closed”.

I searched for the yarn online and discovered it appeared to be sold exclusively at Hobby Lobby. The yarn was out of stock for on-line purchasing. The next morning, I called the store on 71st and found out they were also out. Apparently, ‘he’s the one!’ was a big seller. And so began the quest for ‘he’s the one’. An internet search identified Hobby Lobby stores in two nearby towns. A phone call to Owasso confirmed they were out of the yarn but the Broken Arrow store had 4 skeins in stock.

My husband set off to Broken Arrow to pick the up the yarn. He returned triumphant with the four skeins. That was great but I still needed more yarn.

We would drive home through the Dallas area the next day, so my husband called the Dallas Hobby Lobby on Preston. As I was making lunch, I could hear him on the phone. “Yes, I need to see if you have a specific yarn.” (pause) “Yarn Bee, First Love, he’s the one!” He had to keep repeating, “First Love, he’s the one!” as he was disconnected twice and transferred between departments. I believe he just demonstrated, he is definitely the one! Finally he was told that yes they did have 5 skeins. The sales clerk said no they could not hold them until tomorrow and no he couldn’t purchase them over the phone.

Still searching for yarn, I made an afternoon trip to Tuesday Morning and found 4 skeins of cashmere yarn and 2 of a lovely wool blend on the clearance aisle. Of course I had to buy them!

When we left Tulsa, OK for Austin, TX, I used Google maps to locate a Hobby Lobby in Sherman, TX where we found 4 more skeins of ‘he’s the one!’ on the shelf. Score! Stopping by the clearance section, I found several more skeins of yarn which found their way into my cart.

I now have 10 skeins of ‘he’s the one’, and about the same number of skeins of miscellaneous clearance yarn. Doing the math I realized I could use a few more of ‘he’s the one! We set off to find the Dallas store to determine if they had any of the five skeins left. Upon arriving, I rushed to the yarn department to grab all five skeins which were still on the shelf! I completed the quest! This will be a lovely and fun project!

Now I just have to buy a bigger basket for all the yarn and figure out a few more projects. Aren’t clearance sales wonderful?

Pretending

On December 24, 2014 By DGThomaIn Family, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

When my children were young, we would often launch into spontaneous nonsensical conversations. It might be a perfectly innocent comment that became a springboard. A wondrous adventure would unfold as we each added our own spin. We would slip into role play effortlessly, becoming princesses, elves or ogres depending upon the trigger.

We had fun pretending our way through a diversity of situations without the benefit of any props other than our imagination.

Often, I still go off of imaginative tangents. When I’m on a road trip anything can become fodder for a rambling conversation that the casual observer would find perplexing. Recently, heading toward the town of Stephenville I forgot the name of the next town we would pass through. I asked my husband “Are we almost to Benjamin?”

And my husband replied no, Benjamin is the town we go through on our way to Lubbock. Undeterred, I replied, “Well if we get to Benjamin we’ve gone too far!” Considering Benjamin was about 6 hours beyond where we were headed, that may have been a slight understatement.

A few days later we were driving toward the airport after a long weekend and my husband said something about Timbuktu and I said or Kalamazoo, which made no sense at all. After all Timbuktu is a city in the West African nation of Mali and Kalamazoo is a city in the state of Michigan and there was no reason to discuss either of them. But for no reason at all it made us laugh and laughter is a wonderful thing.

Our car talk is not always so off the wall, but every road trip is an opportunity for slipping into inane conversations and we rarely pass up the opportunity.

Rocking the Streets of San Antonio Texas

On December 10, 2014 By DGThomaIn Exercise, Family, Friends, Travel, Writing2 Comments

The Humana Rock and Roll Marathon was the weekend of December 6^th through December 7^th in San Antonio, Texas. This is the 7^th year l have participated in the San Antonio Rock and Roll marathon. I signed up months ago before this became the year of broken bones. In August, I broke my toe and the healing outlasted my patience! Not to be left out, my husband Ron fell and broke his wrist a few weeks ago. And then, just because we are a little insane we signed up for the Remix challenge which means we ran a 10K on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday.

San Antonio is a beautiful, magical city and one of my favorite places to visit. The expo in the downtown convention center was as entertaining and chaotic as always. I never seem to leave without purchasing something. This time it was new socks and some GU gel blocks. Leaving the expo, we stopped to enjoy the twinkling Christmas lights along the Riverwalk and the Tower of the Americas. It was lovely in the soft evening light.

We didn’t stay in a downtown hotel for this trip, so we had to get up a little earlier to ensure we could find parking. On Saturday, the 10K didn’t start until 9:00 AM and there were only 2500 or so competitors. The parking was easier to find and it turns out it was considerably cheaper. Sunday morning, the official start was 7:30 AM, so we left the comfort of our warm beds a bit early to head back to our parking garage from the previous day. Supply and demand was definitely in play as we had to pay double the fee we had paid on Saturday.

I should clarify that I am not an elite athlete and I enjoy the fun and camaraderie found by those of us crossing the start line 30 minutes after the sprinters in the first corral. When you run slower you can see all sorts of sights along the course.

Sunday morning, we all lined up; the elves, the tutu wearing competitors, the old, the young, and all other 12,000 plus runners, walkers and wheel chair participants. The music was pounding and the weather was just a little chilly.

As expected, I crossed the starting line about 30 minutes after the gun sounded. The course was a bit downhill in the beginning, heading from the Alamodome toward downtown. As we passed the Alamo, many runners, stopped for selfies with the façade and spirits of the Alamo. Leaving downtown took us through Trinity University and hills. The spectators lined the road through Trinity, cheering us up the hills. The enthusiasm was wonderful, but it didn’t really make up for all those hills.

The course in a Rock and Roll marathon is always alive with music and excitement. It is also lined with coaches, family members and complete strangers. Sunday was no exception. Signs along the course proclaimed, “Worst parade ever”; “Run like a Zombie is chasing you” and my favorite, “I’m proud of you complete stranger.”

I think my favorite coach along the course was the gladiator wielding his sword, his face encased in a metal helmet in the parking lot of a Cross fit gym shouting encouragement as we passed. My most memorable athlete was the young man I passed at mile 12, limping to the finish line, carrying his shoes and socks because of blisters on his feet. Dedicated or stubborn I’m not sure but he finished!

At the end, I was so relieved it was over! It was the slowest I’ve ever finished a half marathon, but I felt quite proud to have survived.

We ended our San Antonio trip with a wonderful meal at Canyon Café, a southwestern grill in the Quarry Market. I am never disappointed with the food or service. It was a great meal to end a great trip.

Cheerios and Shoelaces

On October 22, 2014December 14, 2014 By DGThomaIn Exercise, Family, Food, Humor/Light Hearted, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

For several years, the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco had been an elusive goal. It was on my “to do” list, but it seemed something always interfered. Either my training schedule was off or the timing of the race kept me from being able to participate.

After all who wouldn’t want a medal from Tiffany!

When I decided that I would take the time to train and would definitely run in 2008 I discovered the only way for me to participate was through a lottery.

Although I didn’t believe I would make it in, I decided to register and take my chances with the lottery. I immediately started soliciting family and friends to participate with me. My first call was to my daughter, who was in law school. I convinced her to train with me so we could submit for the lottery as a team. I soon had enlisted my sister and my son’s girlfriend as well. Of course the unexpected happened and our team was selected in the lottery! Now I was forced to train!

I was determined to stick to my training program. I am notorious for getting pulled off my training schedule by daily demands. As a result, when I went to visit my daughter and granddaughter in Tulsa, OK, I made sure to pack both my running bag and my commitment.

Tulsa has a very nice running trail not too far from my daughter’s apartment. I got up early on Saturday morning, and created one of my favorite running snacks, (Cheerios, pecans, dried fruit and bits of a bagel). Since I managed to forget my SPIbelt (a stretchy fabric pouch on a belt), I pinned a baggie to the back of my shorts and my husband and I set off for a quick 8 mile run. I chose to run out 4 miles and back and my husband soon left me behind as I settled in at a comfortable pace.

At about mile three, my shoelaces began to loosen and for some reason, they were hitting against the back of my legs. Frustrated, I stopped, retied my shoes and took off again. My new shoes had particularly long shoestrings and soon I could feel them blowing against the back of my legs again. Checking the shoes, I discovered the laces seemed fine. Puzzled, I finished my run.

As I waited for my husband to meet me I reached for my snack, only to discover the baggie was empty. Apparently, friction had worn a hole in the plastic and the snack mix had slowly dropped through until the bag was empty! It turns out it wasn’t the shoelaces hitting my leg, it was the snack mix. I wondered why everyone I passed had such big smiles! My husband confirmed that fact, when he said he followed the trail of Cheerios and pecans to find me.

Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon – Part 2

On October 8, 2014November 17, 2014 By DGThomaIn Family, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

The Seattle marathon started June 21, 2014 at 7:00 AM sharp on a cool Saturday morning. After grabbing coffee and a bagel from our hotel, we walked the few blocks to the start line. The temperature was in the low 60’s; perfect running weather for me.

As I waited outside the portable toilets, commonly known as Port-a-Potties, I met a fellow runner from Seattle. We visited and spent about 15 minutes discussing the best angle to take a picture of the space needle when you are directly below it. As we said goodbye and left to find our corrals, she asked where I lived. I responded, “Texas.” Laughing she said, “I could tell you weren’t local, you have a strong accent.” I laughed too and said, “I was just about to say I knew you were local because you have an accent!” Smiling, we both headed to our corrals where we lined up with more than 14,500 eager athletes.

One of my favorite parts of running a marathon is meeting new people and making new friends. After you’ve run a few marathons, you start seeing familiar faces.

Lining up in Seattle, I stood near a group of Team and Training (TNT) participants from the San Francisco area. TNT is an organization, that in exchange for training and support, you raise money towards cures for blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. As an alumni participant I am always watching for the bright purple shirts. Participants are always so upbeat and energetic.

The starting gun sounded at 7:00 AM and the first wave of runners were off. Since I was in a corral several blocks from the start line, my start was about 30 minutes after the elite lead runners.

My plan was to run 4 minutes and walk 1 minute, a method developed by Jeff Galloway. I finally made it to the start line, and John Bingham, also known as the Penguin, started us on our way after announcing this would be his farewell tour. He is a champion of the non-elite runners. I set my Garmin (watch) on intervals and pushed the start button. I was officially off! I was able to maintain the 4:1 ratio for the first 18 or so miles and still felt reasonably okay.

At about mile three, I met more TNT runners from Texas. There were two ladies from San Antonio, whose name I didn’t get. Then I met Tom from Dallas. Tom was run/walking for Team in Training and on the out and back paths where we passed each other, Tom would call out to me “Go Texas!”

The course took us down Ranier Ave and through Seward Park both offering a beautiful view of Mount Ranier. By the time I hit mile 15 it was starting to warm up significantly.

At mile 20 when I was starting to wonder if I had enough cash for a taxi, Tom spotted me again and yelled, “Go Texas!” so I did.

I finished about 45 minutes after my husband based on time, but since he started almost 20 minutes before me, he had quite a wait for me to finish. Still moving forward, I crossed the finish line much faster than I had expected. I was thrilled to have the finishers’ medal placed around my neck and a cold bottle of chocolate milk to drink. I wanted food and rest, in that order! Marathon number 16 was done.

Finisher’s medal

We were too tired to participate in the post marathon festivities, so we opted for a bath, a nice meal and pajamas for the evening.

On Sunday, we scheduled a tour of the Pike Place Market. The tour started at 10:00 AM. We booked the tour through Public Market Tours. We walked about 12 blocks to meet our tour guide so we could stretch our muscles after the run on Saturday. We were a few minutes early and went for coffee while we waited. We skipped the line at the “original” Starbucks and ducked into Tully’s for a delicious cup of coffee. We were the only two signed up, so we had a personalized tour. I won’t spoil the tour for you in case you ever make it to Seattle, but it was a great guided tour with a lot of historical information and laughter. It was just what we were looking for and the highlight of my day. I even managed to view the gum wall without getting too grossed out!

We ate lunch at Maximilien which sits in the heart of downtown Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. Maximilien is a charming restaurant located with a view of Puget Sound, Elliott Bay, West Seattle & the Olympic Mountain.

Before heading back to our hotel, we visited the Lionheart Bookstore, located in Pikes Market. The owner likes to respond to questions by singing his answers. He told us he wasn’t just an owner but was the sixth custodian of the bookstore.

I love bookstores and Lionheart did not disappoint. We wandered in and out of the shops of Pike Place market exploring the shops at each level. In the afternoon we headed back toward our hotel, tackling the steep hills leading away from Pike Place Market.

We stopped in at Cherry Street Coffee House where I had a piece of Ginger Peach, Gluten free bread with a Coffee Latte. It was a lovely treat!

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When we reached our hotel, we put our feet up, and snacked on some fresh cherries we purchased at the Market.

All in all it was a wonderful trip!

Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon – Part 1

On October 1, 2014 By DGThomaIn Musings, Travel, Writing1 Comment

A lot of people think running marathons is absolutely crazy and some days I agree.
Other days, it keeps me sane. My husband and I normally run one or two marathons a
year. I may run or I may walk, but there is something about completing a 26.2
mile course that makes me think I can do anything.

However, my dedication to running this past year has been almost nonexistent. I was
sidelined with some health issues for a while and had difficulty regaining my motivation to restart my training.

Nevertheless, when my husband suggested we should run the Seattle Rock and Roll
Marathon in June, I decided to give it a shot. Seattle would be
marathon number 16 for me and the first for Washington State. I was hoping
registering to run 26.2 miles would motivate me and maybe it did, just a bit. We
registered for the marathon, made flight arrangements and reserved our hotel. The big “C”, (commitment) did get me out of bed on weekends. I managed to get in some runs with
my running group and even a few runs on the treadmill.

Finally marathon weekend arrived and we headed to the airport for our evening flight. The marathon was scheduled for Saturday, but we were hoping to maximize our relaxation time and minimize any last minute stress by leaving on Thursday.

Our trip started out a little rocky. When we pulled up to our regular car park, we were stopped at the gate by a very nice young man. “Reservation?” he asked. Of course we didn’t make a reservation. In response to our “No”, he replied, “Sorry, we are completely full.” Well, a bump in the road, but nothing major, right? We headed for the airport in search of terminal parking. Still on schedule, we arrived at the airport and discovered that due to construction, all parking was full except the overflow parking lot. Off we went to find a space in overflow parking which was out in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, we were able to find (uncovered) parking quickly, catch a bus back to the terminal, and finally make it through security.

Knowing we would arrive late in Seattle, we grabbed some food and made it to our gate with a little time to spare. Hoping the rest of the trip would be uneventful, we boarded on time and with the exception of the crazy lady on the plane (but that’s another story! Planes, misgivings and singing), we had a pleasant trip.

When we landed we exited the plane, made our way through the chaos of airport security and retrieved our luggage. Discovering our hotel didn’t provide a shuttle, we opted to rent a car. Dragging our bags behind us, we followed the rental car signs to reach the rental counter and negotiated a vehicle. Finally, worn out, we headed to our hotel.

Checking into our hotel turned out to be the best part of the day. It was late when we arrived, but the night manager was awesome. He was already working with a guest, so there was a small wait to check in. It was almost midnight, but the manager was upbeat, smiling and apologetic, even though the wait was only a few extra minutes. We even scored free parking!

The hotel was a suite with two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a separate living room area. Much more space than we needed, but staying there for four days was wonderful. The Space Needle was one block from our hotel and could be seen from the window. Everything we needed was within walking distance. Seattle Space Needle

After a great night’s sleep, Friday morning, we headed to the Seattle Health & Fitness Expo. The expo was a huge market where exhibitors offer free samples, showcase the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health & nutritional information and more. We walked a block to the Seattle Center Monorail station and rode the monorail to Westlake Center where we caught a bus to Century Field Event Center for packet pickup. (shirts, race bibs, timing chip, etc.).

We spent several hours wandering around the expo before leaving a few dollars lighter, juggling our packets and multiple purchases. Weary and hungry we went in search of lunch before heading back to the hotel to relax and prepare for our early morning event on Saturday. More on the Seattle trip next post……..

Tybee Island, GA trip

On August 13, 2014December 14, 2014 By DGThomaIn Family, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

This spring, my daughter and I embarked on our second of what will hopefully become an annual trip. My daughter, Kat, planned a lovely trip to Tybee Island, Ga. I flew into Tulsa, OK on a Thursday evening so we could begin our road trip the next afternoon. We chose to take a road trip because even though flying would have been quicker, we knew we would miss a lot of experiences by flying. You just can’t duck into that little out-of-the-way shop along the way if you are on an airplane! We had a wonderful trip with a lot of great experiences.

We stayed at the Beachview Bed and Breakfast in Tybee Island, Ga. First thing Saturday morning, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of egg rolls (the name absolutely doesn’t do this dish justice), fresh fruit, pastries and freshly brewed coffee. We carried our food out onto the second floor veranda and enjoyed the delicious gourmet breakfast in the fresh island air.

After our breakfast, we headed to Fort Pulaski for a tour of the historic fort and one of the original lighthouses. With a cool breeze, we had a wonderful walk through the grounds and out to the lighthouse.

Leaving the fort, we headed to several outdoor markets for shopping. We found some wonderful, unique items for sale and enjoyed a delicious warm beverage from Tybean Art & Coffee bar.

Sitting outside, at TYBEAN Art and Coffee Bar , we enjoyed an outdoor game of checkers playing with milk jug lids! Honestly, this little interlude was one of my favorite memories.

We had many more fun and adventuresome activities on the trip, but just taking a minute out of a busy fun-filled trip to play a game of checkers with my daughter, while I sipped a delicious Chai tea, was exactly what I needed on a relaxing Saturday afternoon.