We went to the philly zoo a couple of years ago. It was very nice. Since we go to Disney, around once every year or two, we don't take other vacations. It's just too costly for a family of 6. Also, getting ready for my daughter to go to college next year. Sending 15 year old to Catholic HS this year which is extremely expensive.

I did finish the dress! She wore it and got ice cream on it so it's in the laundry! Oh well! Thems the breaks! I'll wash it today because she wants to wear it tonight. We are going to my mom's for dinner.

Have a good day. It looks like rain here which makes pain worse. Linda

Does post-op recovery count as a vacation? I expect to be in lala land most most of the time, after surgery. I've already put out a disclaimer friends and family to disregard anything unusual or hurtful I may say while under the influence for the next couple of months.

Surgery date was moved up...it's now August 14th--a week from tomorrow!! I am excited and nervous, and ready to get it over with. Anticipation kills me.

My step-sons (10 and 14 yrs) just finished visiting us for 2 weeks straight...it was so nice to spend so much time with them. We usually only see them every other weekend, but we try to get them for a couple of weeks during the summer. We didn't think we'd get to this year b/c of my husband's work schedule, but it changed suddenly, and we were able to get them! I think of them as my own, and my husband is very close to them, so he loves every minute he gets to spend with them. We didn't do anything special, just playing cards and video games, watching movies, staying up late, and they taught us how to download music off the internet. We're hooked now!!

I am going on my 1st cruise in 6 wks time, going it alone, a senior &
disabled. I am getting so nervous abought it all it was something i booked on impulse & am regretting it already.
I am sailing on the P.O. "ORIANA " from the UK to the Caribean for 3 wks.
They have been very helpful to me, knowing of my problems, but this doesn`t take the nervousness away.
Anyone done this trip ?
Sophia uk trying to

one thing i would really like to do this summer is take my 10-year-old niece who is visiting her dad here down to the wild animal park at the san diego zoo to see the troupe of maasai who are living there right now, helping to spread the message that the lion - in danger of extinction in their southeastern kenya homeland - deserves to be saved.

i just think it is so awesome that these traditionally bitter enemies can be seen working together in this beautiful setting. the killing of a lion has always been the true test of manhood in masaai culture, not to mention the big cats' plundering of their herds a threat to their very survival...

but under a preservation trust set up by a lion-conservation program, there is now a negotiated fee structure in place which the masaai have agreed to accept in lieu of killing lions in their homeland. if a lion kills a donkey, for instance, the trust pays them $80, $100 for a goat, $200 for a cow and so on. it's very specific. this in a country where more than half the population lives on roughly $1 a day (and a hell of a deal for the lion, too, i would say...).

anyhow, the program that set all this up has brought the visiting masaai troupe over here and is sponsoring their stay in order to promote the trust, no doubt in the hope that the concept will catch on in other parts of the african continent and elsewhere - wherever predatory species are endangered like this. within the group spending the summer at the park, there are seven dancers (all but one of whom have killed a lion); also included are two women who give daily craftwork demonstrations. at least two of the masaai dancers speak english. the dance ritualizes gestures symbolizing the hunt, stalking and killing a lion with either a spear or a poison blow-dart. everyone is adorned in native costume and i imagine it is quite a beautiful and wondrous sight to behold! (unless, of course, you happen to be a lion...) killing this beautiful creature has always been the path to warriorhood in traditional masaai culture and is undoubtedly not an easy thing to change for that reason.

but changing it is. and that is awesome, you guys. in the 3 years since this compensation thing started, only 4 lions have been killed on the mbirikani group ranch where this troupe hails from. compared to 22 in the prior 18 months (per VA-based conservation international, a wildlife protection group)!! in the article i read, a masaai leader was quoted as proclaiming in march "from this day forward, on mbirikani, the warrior and the lion are brothers."

and we think WE have problems sometimes getting along on this forum. sheesh. all our problems should be so small, as my dad used to say..,

there are seven lions living in the wild animal park. they are not just there for the summer. i wonder what they think about all of this.

F'ing tourists. bah!

somebody asked me if this was something my niece sunny would be interested in doing (at the time i was trying to plan a surprise birthday party around the idea).

told him i didn't care. it is goddamned educational and she WILL be interested in it when i got through with her! she probably wants some kind of J-Lo themed something or other...

she's gettin' this. if i can make the haul, that is. ah, therein lies the rub.

dang TOS!!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrr

alison

Quote:

Originally Posted by jane d mccartney I am going on my 1st cruise in 6 wks time, going it alone, a senior & disabled. I am getting so nervous abought it all it was something i booked on impulse & am regretting it already. I am sailing on the P.O. "ORIANA " from the UK to the Caribean for 3 wks. They have been very helpful to me, knowing of my problems, but this doesn`t take the nervousness away. Anyone done this trip ? Sophia uk trying to

Hi Sophia!
Your kindred spirt is ruling your heart and leading you into a best time of your life. I bet if you contact the travel agent there may be a few others also traveling alone, or with disabilities looking for mates onboard too.

But, to even go yourself, you will have the grandest of time, for liesure sun and wind, drifting on Heavans waves, the warmth to warm your bones, tret to a massage. Take a good book, some gauzy type dres and loung pants, a great shawl, comfy slippers even if you take a few Isotoners, Those Clog like comfort soles easy on, pair of sneakers there are a few types cut loosley and with mesh to be cool.

I don;t know what size you are if you are tiny or womanly, but www.Roamans.com starts at small about a 14, med 16, lg 18, they run bigger so a 1 X is about a 22-24.
But their summer cleance has great looking cruise wear.

Tkae a digital camera if you can so you can use editfeatures to really crop or get the formatt for the best picture memories.

Get yourself into the free spirit we envy state of mind. The endorphins flow and pain goes down,
I am so excited for you Sophia.
Gee, it would have been great if one of our UK friends had been booked too.

dianne

ShellieYes post op counts as vacation as long as you use it that way. pamper yourself and make others pamper you. Also, playing cards and games with your children is also vacation. We try to do it often. Enjoy! Make it a vacation. We put on pj's and get the cards or games out. It's fun and cheap!

jane d maccartneyA few years back my grandmother took my sisters and I on a cruise. We were in our late teens, early 20's. We went off alone alot and she had a BLAST. Thre are so many activities for people of all ages. Singles, couples, young and old. Half the time she didn't want to spend with us because there were so many things for her to do. Enjoy! Sign up for everything and meet lots of people. This is a great opportunity. Do not regret it. My father took a cruise alone to Alaska last year and had a great time. They will pair you with others that will have the same intests. Let us know how it was and take lots of picutres!

No vacation coming up for me...taking a couple of days off work for doc's appts, and to take care of stuff around the house. I could use some real vacation though. HOPEFULLY the beach in FL around Christmas, but we'll see.

Dabbo, the virtual trip you take is in every post, look at your signiture, Oh to sit back and feel the breeze and see that sunset is next to heaven,
di

Allison- you are full of great ideas...first the observatory now confirming my own thoughts to take the fam to the wild animal park.My inlaws are in town so we figured to do something with the little kids that my hubby and i can't do as well on our own (due to me not being able to chase either kid) OH yeah, when 14yo complained, we just promised she could say it was her birthday when we went out to eat...then she decided she was on board.

Shellie- To me, a few days in hospital followed by lala land IS serious vacation. I'll be joining you on that trip, come aug 27.

Cards with kids, and grandparents... got to love it. My FIL is a big euchre fan, my 14yo is/always has been quite good at it, been playing since she was about 9. Take every day and every moment- TREASURE IT just doing the little stuff together...that's for sure. They won't be the same kids even tomorrow, always learning and growing. Got to grab each of those moments and hold onto them when you can.

Personally, my neck is taking a little vacation from tightness today as Joyce did an awesome job on it with her magic fingers at PT.

love all you guys, and love this thread.
Johanna

You're right Di- I have that picture on my desk at work along side my wife and my daughter. Thats actually where we're (I'm) hoping to go this Christmas. time will tell tho.

Sophia - enjoy the cruise! Ive never been on one, but they pretty much have everything I love about vacation on them - sun, breeze, books, and a chair. Even by yourself, I think it would be a blast!! I'm envious, I must say.