ALONG THE SUMMER DRIVE HOME Along the drive home rising temperatures were steep and so were the winding roads surrounded by mountains and lakes. Alongside our car were trucks full of hay on the highway. We were often overrun by some sane and not-so-sane drivers. My hubby is a man for all seasons and conditions even as he discovers that growing old is no picnic. The adventurer in him keeps the music playing. As a sailor, he abides by the motto—safety first, safety second and safety last. Made it home safely after eleven glorious days on the road. I treasured the quiet moments reminiscing about places we visited on our honeymoon 32 years before. They meant so much to us. We decided to celebrate our anniversary a month early while in the same time zone. This travel by car (thanks sonny for the use of the comfortable Benz SUV) meant long hours on the road staying in lovely places, walking into familiar and newly discovered bakeries and restaurants. And as often the case w...
TRAVELING ALONE? In late spring 2025, my destination was Asia. A woman, of advanced age, sporting gray hair, who walks with a cane neatly tucked into the side of a backpack, I was often asked, “Are you traveling alone?” The tone of the question amused me more times than not. Young people tended to look either in awe or in shock. Folks closer to my age would eye me with pity, sadness, or a mixture of such. My response? A modest smile, a nod and silence. Inwardly, doubt would peek in. That’s when I would strengthen my resolve and quiet the inner voice by saying to myself, “You can do this.” When doubt nudged in, I was comforted by the knowledge that a loved one would be meeting me on the other side of the journey. WHEELCHAIR SERVICE IS A GODSEND Thank goodness for a world wherein airports have wheelchair service. Passengers needing assistance have grown in numbers since the first time I needed to use the service in 2016. It was the first time I coul...