Bermuda Trip - Day 3 New York City and Board Carnival Venezia

Good Morning!  It is another change venue day for us and an errand has to happen before we check out of our hotel.   Hello Empire State Building - perhaps next visit we'll make our second journey up to your lookout.

Bermuda Trip - Day 2 New York City - Statue of Liberty Crown Visit

 Good Morning!!!  We have looked forward to today since I bought tickets last March.  However, they have to be picked up at Will Call early this morning.  We hit the subway early and have arrived at Castle Clinton for retrieval of said items.

Bermuda Trip - Day 1 New York City - Back We Go

 Vacation Day is here!  We have a SUPER early flight and are thankful that a Lyft person wanted to pick us up at 4:30 a.m.  Whew.  We made it in plenty of time and are now up, up, and away.

Road Trip - Days 39 - 40 - Road Trip Home

We are officially on the road back home, but . . . coffee.  Yes, coffee.  Mister found this place earlier in the week and wanted to share it with me.  Come along for a step back in time.

Road Trip - Days 23-30 - Billings

 One more week left in June and we are staying at Matt's house.  However, Rhiana is throwing a birthday party for Isla today and she doesn't know we are in town yet, so Gammy and Grandpa will surprise her.  When we arrive, it's GREAT!  Littles are excited and my daughter is so surprised.  This is so fun.  Now to just play and enjoy the day.

Road Trip - Days 7 & 8, Last Day in Provo and Travel to MT

 It's our last day in Provo due to a booking error by me.  It sucks, but every now and then I blow it.  This is one of the nows.  We have to check out of our little house this morning and once the work is done and the car loaded, we are off to meet Cassie and then - THE ZOO for the day.  It is about a 45 minute drive, but at least the traffic isn't terrible.  In we go with my reciprocal membership for the adults and Cass's coupons for the little.  The first thing we see are chalk drawings happening all over the grounds.

Road Trip - Days 5 & 6 Provo, UT

 Good morning!  I am off to play the day away and that is just what we do.

Road Trip - Days 3 & 4 in Provo, UT

 Yay for time with grands and my daughter.  I treasure this each year as we get a chance to reconnect and talk while spending time with the littles.  Today, I've left Mister alone at the house so he can work and am off to the library for some fun.

The Road Trip Begins - Days 1 and 2

 It is the first of June and we are hitting the road.  This one is a LONG trip.  We will be back sometime in July and then I will leave again the very next day for the rest of that month.  Let's get on the road.  See ya around the states.

Leaving New York City - Travel Home Day

 Well, the past five days have been simply magical!  Seriously.  Just us two time was what the doctor ordered and we had a blast.  The only unhappy part is that we have to go home today.  I know, right?  A subway to the bus station and we're spending our last few minutes on the streets of New York.  We're not even in Manhattan anymore since we caught this bus in Queens.  It's a double size bus and they are always fun so I have a seat right at the middle to giggle as we turn.  The simple things in life can bring absolute joy.  Is this guy filming me?

New York City - Happy Birthday Mister!! - Day 5

 Happy Birthday to my Love!  He has hit another milestone and apparently so has Lady Liberty.  Pretty cool, right?  Well, hers is not quite "on" the milestone, but three years from 150 is pretty cool.

New York City - Day 4

 With Day 4 beginning, this is now the longest trip to New York City that I have been blessed to do.  I'm sooooo excited to still have two full days here --- now to get going.  We are starting the day a bit somber and heading down to the 9/11 Memorial.  One quick subway ride away and - behold - One World Trade Center (formerly called Freedom Tower) standing majestically.  This is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center Complex.  As we all know, the original Center was comprised of seven buildings, all of which were destroyed.  The Pullman Performing Arts Center sit below and in front for this picture.

New York City - Day 3 - Hastings-on-Hudson and More

 It's a day for tripping down memory lane for my sweetheart.  We are heading north out of the city to Hasting-on-Hudson, the village where he lived as a child.  

First step - Grand Central Station and on the outside, Mister tells me to look up.  The Graybar rats are an homage to more nautical times and the effort made to keep rats off the ships. (Hey Gwen and Frieda - remember talking about this on the cruise?)  The Graybar Building, built in 1927, was designed to pay tribute to New York City’s position as a key transportation hub, with its trains (the building is right near Grand Central Terminal) and its seaport. The cables that connect the canopy in front of the exterior to the building itself are made to look like the mooring lines of a ship.  And as with real mooring lines, these mooring lines have rats climbing up them, attempting to get into the “ship” that is the Graybar Building. The rats are thwarted by conical structures called baffles near the top of the lines that stop the sculpted rodents from getting all the way to the building, as they would stop rats from entering ships.  At some point, the rats disappeared from their mooring lines, but during the building’s restoration in the late ’90s, a special note was made to “replace [the] missing rats.” And so there they are, once more, still unable to board the ship. The architects had one more little joke, though: The carved rosettes that the mooring lines lead to depict the heads of clever rats that, presumably, made it on board before the baffles were put in place.  Kinda cool, right?  Now, get those tickets purchased and find our train.  Tickets were $6 a piece and we've located the right terminal.

New York City - Day 2

 I am pumped for the first full day in New York.  Less than 40 degrees out, we are bundled a bit but that's okay.  Time for some fun.  We are starting out in Upper Midtown and Mister has a place in mind for breakfast so we are on foot.  As we walk, my eyes are darting here and there, looking for as many images to imbed in my memory as possible.  If you think I take a lot of pictures on this trip, I will let you know that this is only a tenth of the many things to see and absorb.  Einstein on a Bicycle was painted in 2018 and the Weeping Fireman, which is an image taken on 9/11 and recreated here.  One makes you smile and the other helps us to remember how lucky we are to smile.  (49th and 3rd)

New York City - Here We Come! Day 1

 When I arrived home from a cruise on the 3rd (yes, 15 days ago), Mister indicated that he wanted to go somewhere.  The very next day, we had booked a trip to NYC and today we are off. Why NYC?  Well, it's the Birthday Season for him and he's going home.  You know - the kind of home that touches our heart as we started out there.  We have five glorious days and, now, at the you know what of dawn - we are getting started.  It's a quiet airport this early on a Sunday, but that's okay.  Oh, maybe I should mention that at this point we only have $330 invested in the trip.  BOTH flights on American (upgraded) and our hotel for the week (Marriott) have been paid in full along with insurance just in case.  I am merely pointing this out because there are ways to travel on the cheap and live nice - ya just gotta play the games.  The aforementioned dawn, is starting to show her face.  We have a plane and a crew - life is good.  Boarded and leaving just as the sun makes an appearance.  Up, up, and away we go.

Girls Trip - Day 9 Debark and Home

 Well, that's it for this cruise.  So sad to be leaving as I have discovered that I like the longer cruises so very much.  Gwen and Frieda are up and at it this morning, while, I, on the other hand, are moving very slowly.  I guess we need to get up and join them since we are already docked at the port and have a 7:30 departure.  Get going girls.  One last look at our menagerie and we are outta here.

Girls Trip - Day 8 Sea Day and Pasta Class

 With the port days behind us, our last sea day begins and we're starting with a pasta making class.  I've been super excited about this one and am ready to learn and taste yummy Italian goodness.

Girls Trip - Day 2 - Galveston and Boarding Jubilee

 Good morning Y'all.  Not much sleep last night - most due to worry about Ryan but a teeny bit because I'm excited for today.  Ryan made it through the night and is being life-flighted today to Denver.  It's a good sign so far and it looks like maybe no surgery.  We'll know more later.

We have packed and re-packed, the car is loaded, shirts match and the girls are on their way.  Galveston, next stop.

One Week Into 2024 - Back in Montana - Week 2

 Winter in Montana is always beautiful, but sometimes cold.  VERY cold.  This is my morning hello.  Now, in all fairness, it is much better than it has been --- check out the previous post - Brrrrr.

One Week Into 2024 - Back in Montana - Week 1

 January has arrived and, with that auspicious statement, we are off to Montana once again.  Two weeks with family and enjoying winter.  At least that is the plan.  Once again, we have a flight in the wee hours, so Mister is sleeping on the plane.  Seriously, we left the house at 3:15 this morning.  We are NOT typically mask-wearers while traveling, but there are two people coughing right behind us and we are off to see Mom, so don't want to risk hauling something fun up there.  Masks on --- let's do battle.