Vacation ends with a bing, bang, boom, batterhorn

I have no idea how I do it but usually my vacations feel as if they lasted triple the actuality.

This one did not disappoint.

My vacation ended on a bing, bang, boom, batterhorn.

I hit Progressive Field's SnowDays. Amazing how the Indians transformed 'Jacob's Field' into a winter wonderland consisting of a huge tubing range from the scoreboard down to the infield...the Frozen Mile Skating Rink....a snow fight mound.....blazing fire area to stay warm.....and so much more!

I would have loved to have gone with that special someone or even my nieces and nephew but it was still ok.

I was in my own little dreamland, fairytale surrounded by 'holiday spirit' to finally begin my transformation into the holiday season.

Where else can you skate for hours, which I did, while watching scenes from your favorite Christmas movies or pretend you are in a Danny Kaye-Bing Crosby movie skating around the rink to your favorite holiday songs? Well, SnowDays is the best place to live out your childhood, holiday dreams.

I haven't skated since I was a kid. After once around, I left the rail and buzzed around for the next 2-3 hours! I did get a sore on my right shin but it was sooooo worth it!

What possessed me to try going down the batterhorn, no idea. Not only once, but twice. Terrifying. You feel so secure at the top of the mountain and they let you go to flail helplessly until you reach the bottom.

Yet, I went again. And the sign I should have kept it at one: I lost 2 camera batteries and salvaged my new Avon lipgloss and my pen.

All in all, I'm so excited to have gone alone rather than not at all.

And my time off ended with a bang at the company holiday party at Johnny's Downtown surrounded by good friends, festive music, delicious food, and lots of laughter. Perfect end to a terrific week!

Many places to call my 'home away from home'

We all work so much, it's a given that your work place is more than likely your secondary 'home away from home.'

For me, Progressive Field (better known as Jacob's Field) is really my 'home away from home' and more so this season than ever before!

I've even gone on the road with 'my Tribe' to Tampa, which ironically, though 2000 miles away, has become another 'home away from home' for me!

Not a bad place to visit on occasion.

I've been quite lucky...to have a friend down there. And it seems since he's moved away, we've seen each other more this year than in years past.

I don't have more vacation this year than last or the year before, but it does seem as if I have been off quite often. Each time I'm off, my co-workers will ask 'were you down in Tampa?' And luckily I've been able to answer a few times 'YES!'

So it just seems kinda funny that I was in Tampa last weekend and my best friend's back up north just 5 days later! This amazing life we lead.

Craig arrived in Cleveland and we continued where we left off just last weekend --cheering on our various sports teams: the Indians, the Browns, the Rays....sharing a few cocktails.....enjoying the beautiful weather which is a welcome break from 100 percent humidity down south, and just spending some more quality time together. This is bound to be yet another crazy week spent with good friends!

Life is too short to let it zoom by.....without enjoying the beautiful scenery.

My friend's mom is older. I encourage him to spend as much time with her but also say, NONE of us know how much time we have left. Age is not a quantifying factor. I never mean to be a downer, but I tell him --just one year ago, my Mom was still alive and now she's gone. Enjoy life. Enjoy family. Enjoy friends and what makes you happy!

Have as many 'home away from homes' as you can doing what you love doing!

Surgery, really???

What a week!

My best friend comes into town....not feeling great but not anticipating what would happen to him on his week of vacation!

However, I tell him --he's so blessed and lucky.....he's not buying it!

He was able to get in to see his old doctor (come on, sometimes it takes MONTHS to get an appointment with a doctor)......and was scheduled for surgery the next day to repair his hernia.

After hitting the Tribe game a few nights ago, he really needed to have this done. Every day that went by exacerbated the problem.

True, not something I would choose on my vacation....but let's face it --the doctor who did the job and knows his history repaired the tear.....he will have more people around him up here than at home.....and more than likely will recoup a few vacation days if they count his surgery time as sick time.

I see this as the glass as FULL. He does not.

I see him back to normal good as new within a month. He does not.

Apparently, we have differing views on life. Really, we are friends! LOL!

Yes, surgery went well and the doctor said he can resume all normalcy within 48 hours......with some pain, bruising and such....

Suck it up, buddy! I still see this as a blessing rather than a curse.

Even through it all, I, after tending to my pal, still lucked out going to the Tribe last night with my buddy Marc and then again tonight.....the show must go on people!

Life is good! God is good!

Can it get any better than this?

I wasn't so sure I could top the 1st Saturday and Sunday of my vacation. Come on!

My best friend (many call him my BFF and many call him my boyfriend --but he's just my friend) Craig flew into town......Cleveland Indians with good friends Carrie and Brian, and then the Map Room with another great friend, Marc!

That's just day #1.

Day #2--a suite at the Indians' game with my entire family and very good friends...and then spending the night with 'my' Cleveland Indians at the zoo....NBA Playoffs and catching up with Craig....

WOW, thought these 2 days were insurmountable.

I keep proving myself wrong as each day of this vacation progresses.....

It has been complete heaven, bliss, and everything in between!

I would not do it justice by sharing...and making it sound like a log of everything that transpires.

Suffice it to say it involves a plethora of terrific friends, family, catching up, doing 'whatever' the spirit moves me to do, 'my' Cleveland Indians, no work, no appointments, no set schedule for the 1st time ever, lots of music, plenty of cocktails, absolute sunny skies, and not a care in the world!

A highlight to this point is that I got carded--can you believe it?! I told the girl she made my week. Then she went on to ask, "Are you Italian? You must be Italian!! Do you use Oil of Olay?" When she looked at my driver's license, her eyes just about flew out of her head! And my perfect week continued!

Where did the week go?

I sure hope next week (my week of vacation) goes in S-L-O-W M-O-T-I-O-N!! This week traveled very swiftly, especially since I was off on Monday and kind of lost a day!

It seems like every day all of a sudden I had something shakin'? Tuesday I got together with a very good friend --actually made my week! Car maintenance Wednesday.....wedding shower Thursday......and Friday wrapping up the work week prepping for what hopefully will be a perfect week on vacation!

Lots of sports excitement as well....so many Cleveland Indians come back from behind wins.....the whole Tom Izzo watch.....Thursday morning I was pleasantly awakened by a dear dear friend of mine with a text message. All it said: "SANTANA!!" Because we are so on the same page, I knew exactly what he meant and the texting bonanza began about our up and coming new catcher Carlos Santana!

Getting extremely excited to be on vacation next week. This will be the first real vacation I've had in eons. Ecstatic to see my best friend who is coming in from out of town....have not seen him since before Mom passed away...

I have not made any real plans for this vacation like I usually do...the only thing really is going to all the Cleveland Indians' games....otherwise, flying by the seat of my pants. Lots of cocktails WILL be factored in to the festivities!

Sunday my entire family will be in a suite watching the phenom kid Strasburg pitch against 'my' Indians. Awesome how that worked out! Could not have planned it better!

Then Sunday night have a special event with the Indians at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Very lucky, very blessed.

Thank you Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

Seeing old friends

(Mom, Me, Lydia)


I must admit, I have not gotten half the things I wanted to get done on this vacation.

It's tremendous not having to head into work.

Don't get me wrong--that's fabulous.

We still have doctors' appointments and such, but it's nice not having to rush around quite as much.

I've been able to enjoy meals with Mom, which has been a treat.

When I picked up my Browns' tickets, I visited with a friend I had not seen in quite a while. That was a special afternoon.

We've enjoyed most of the Indians' games. Mom was tired a few nights, especially after starting on some new medication, so we had to pass on some of the Indians' games, a family birthday party and a few other events....

Unfortunately, it's still been quite crazed.

I have not had a chance to call back a dear friend of mine from FLA all week long. I think he thinks I'm avoiding him. That's just the way of our world now. We don't have the luxury to sit around and do nothing. There is always something that must be done, must be tended to, an appointment of some kind to hit.


Mom and I were able to visit with a dear, dear friend of ours who we have not seen in at least 8 months. What a treat! She's a former co-worker but more like a sister to me. And she just adores Mom. She would do anything for her, and has!


Life is very hard. And being finite humans, all we can do is try to be the best people we can day in and day out. Each day, we get up, thank God for another day and try to make the best decisions we can for that day with what information and ingredients are tossed our way.


The 'old Danielle' would have been upset at not crossing off more from the 'to-do' list. But the new Danielle is quite content at what was accomplished and how life was lived this week.


Thank you Jesus!

It's 'adult' Smoothie time!!!

All I can say is what a great feeling to type in your 'out of office' memo that you will not be back into the office for 10 days!

Pinch me!

Oh, we will be around and have a long, loooooong list of 'to-do's' that may or may not get crossed off.

But the simple fact that I have a few extra hours to clean my kitchen floor if I choose OR just lay out in the sun for an hour or maybe even take an afternoon nap. What a dream come true.

You all may get updates. . .or not.

I'm gonna let the spirit move me wherever the wind blows. . .

For now, it's 'adult' Smoothie time my friends! And in my hot little hand is one of the best Smoothies I've ever made with Minute Maid Pomegranate and Blueberry juice, ice, and mango chunks. You can choose the 'adult' beverage of your choice to add and stir and don't forget your little umbrella!!!!

Cheers!

There's no place like home!

I pride myself in being a world traveler.

I LOVE to travel and see this great country, this world in which we live.

When it involves a new ballpark, baseball stadium, sporting or music event, palm trees, sandy beach, the tropics and a cocktail--even better!

Somehow, everywhere I go makes me realize how lucky I am to be a Cleveland girl.

Mom and I were blessed to hit the big apple last week while I was officially on vacation. We have many sidebar stories --most of them great, a few of them atrocious! Many of them I will share over the coming days and weeks. I've been to New York before. I even sang on Park Avenue in the ritzy part. I enjoy seeing new places, experiencing new restaurants and happenings. Expanding my horizons!!!!!

This trip, I realized that Cleveland is the city for me --at least over New York. And I realized that my way of traveling is different from others. We were with someone else who was not as organized as myself. Hopefully, that won't happen again!

I enjoyed the skyline, Yankee Stadium, and just being 'on vacation.' The folks were even very nice to us, probably because everyone is nice to Mom.

My experience made me appreciate our weather (30 out of 31 days of sun in July), Lake Erie, Cleveland sunsets, lesser traffic jams, fewer 'wandering people,' cleaner streets, lower prices, less stress, all the high class restaurants inhabiting C-Town.......

But that is what makes this country great. We can travel, see new places, make memories, learn new things, and re-visit the places we absolutely adore!

NEW Yankee Stadium --here we come!!!!!!!!!!

'The Vacation' is dead as I once knew it

So I am on vacation this week. And it is wonderful not having to rush around to get everything done before I either take Mom to dialysis or head off to work....it's fantastic not having blaring scanners in my tender ears....or being tugged in 19 directions all at once, at least at work!

But I've realized the so-called 'vacation' as I once knew it is dead to me.

It will never again be the same.

Family and friends can flit off to foreign lands and be gone for 9 days or more enjoying the good life. Never again for moi! I can not even get to Tampa, FLA to visit one of my best friend's in the whole wide world for a long weekend!

I am more than halfway through my vacation and have not had one free moment to do all the back-logged stuff that I have been meaning to do over the last 5 years, including cleaning the awfully disgusting Kitchen Floor!

True, I took a night for Petty and we have been to a few Indians' games. But the rest of my days, so far, have consisted of dialysis....and numerous doctors appointments for Mom. Even when we are at the Indians' games, I am 'on call.' Mom is a handful, if you do it right.

Others tell me "oh, how hard could it be caring for you Mother."

Well, true. Mom has come so far from just one year ago. She's amazing and almost back to true form! That zest for life and fiesty-ness has been back for a long time! But it's all in the approach. When I do something, I like to do it RIGHT! Mom is a living human being that deserves to be pampered. Because I, by far, spend the most amount of time with her I know all her nuances--her medicines, when she should take them, how to feel the pulse in her fistula, what foods she is supposed to eat and likes, EVERYTHING! I certainly hope nothing happens to me or else Mom is screwed to the life she should live and is accustomed to living. She's my Mother who gave birth to me, raised me, and has given me an absolutely wonderful life! It's the least I can do to make her life as special as she has made mine!

Don't get me wrong, it has been AMAZING just being able to BE....to spend time with Mom, not rushing off to work, or worrying if I will get to work on time because we are waiting in a doctor's office (I am the designated 'take Mom to a doctor stooge' and spend a few days each week in some doctor's office!). A huge weight is off my back this week.

And the weather, holy cow, I feel like I AM in FLA! I always tell Craig, FLA is a great place to visit but not live because Cleveland IS just as nice from May through October if not later.

I still have 4 and 1/2 days left....and I am confident that at the end of my vacation, regardless of what I have been able to do or not do, to accomplish or again add to my 'TO DO LIST,' I will have gotten a little rest and will cherish the time and events of the week FOREVER!