I recently finished traveling for the winter/spring.
I have done so much traveling in 2018 already. Enough to trade in miles for a first class upgrade on one non-stop seat on a flight from Dallas to Seattle. Enough hotel points to trade them in for one free night at a Marriott hotel.
For me, that’s a lot.
This travel season lasted from April 21 to May 14. I went to Chicago to see family, Dallas for an ANA Board meeting, Yakima and Bellevue to accompany Ken on HIS work trips.
This last trip to Baltimore, MD and Alexandria, VA was the one that everything else centered around. ANA partnered with Johns Hopkins to hold a Patient Education Meeting there. I went as a Board Member to represent ANA. AND it was ANAwareness week AND it was Mother’s Day weekend AND Caleb and Maddy live nearby in Alexandria VA, AND my cousins and aunt live in Maryland. I had a plan, and I was successful. Bonus was that we got to meet our newest grand puppy Bonnie.
The Meeting at Johns Hopkins was amazing…the speakers were so kind and took time to talk with former and current patients, as well as those who were not their patients, but simply came to listen and learn. I met people who had received treatment almost 40 years ago, and some who where diagnosed with their tumors this year.
It brought back the memory of my “first time” I was in a room of people like me, and it was heartwarming and gratifying. This is why I do what I do.
I have my next travel “season” that won’t start until September, so my suitcase is comfortably out of sight and in the basement. I know there are people who travel for a living, especially those who work for a company that is not based locally. I love traveling, and I occasionally wish I travelled for a living like some of my friends.
I guess I do travel for a living. Meaning I’d bring in as much money working from home as I do,(as little as I do.) I’d most likely make more money working OUTside my home, but I would NOT have this kind of traveling-for-fun-and-family freedom.
This is what my lilacs looked like the day before I left on my most recent trip.
Lilacs are my favorite. Caleb’s first daycare had three lilac trees on the property, but one of the trees had the lightest, loveliest scent. I asked and took a small cutting from the bottom of the tree and planted it in my front yard. That was more than 20 years ago. Now, It’s huge and healthy, and produces more lovely scent that I ever thought possible.
But the life of the lilacs are short lived every year, maybe a week or so before they start to lose color, vibrancy and scent. Every year I cut them, bring them into the house (all over the house) and bring some to friends. But this year, I wasn’t home to do that
This is what the same lilac tree looked like when i got home.
The lilacs will grow again next year, and the year after that. And there will be more trips..sometimes during their bloom.
Lucky me.
😉