Tag Archives: #travel

Blogging, Camping, Dogs, family, Grandparenting, Lifestyle, Relaxation, Summer

What’s Up

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Our newest grandson, Levi, was born healthy and beautiful on 6/28. He’s got the cute little nose gene from Mr. NOA’s side of the family. He’s got blond hair, like his daddy and his 11-year-old brother. He is simply precious and so very loved.

On the day Levi was born, our oldest grandson (the 11-year-old) and I took our kayaks out on the lake for the first time. One thing checked off my summer bucket list! The kid was a natural in his kayak. Me, not so much. But I did not, to my surprise and delight, tip mine over, despite how wobbly I was for the first 15 minutes in that thing.

We “hosted” our daughter’s family’s puppy, Dash, for a couple of weeks while they settled in at home with baby Levi. They have another dog, the scrappy daschund/pug mix, Max, and the two of them together in a house with a new baby and two other kids is a lot for them to handle. Mr. NOA and I made it clear to the kids that we are open to keeping Dash for good. He and Radar get along well, and Dash really benefits from having an older dog around to model how to be a good boy.

Dash in a rare moment of rest
Radar, the OG

A couple of weekends ago, Mr. NOA pulled the camper out of it’s space next to the “We Shed”, after it sat unused for the better part of three years. We cleaned it from top to bottom, inside and outside. We took it, along with Radar, up to the Northland to visit family and friends last weekend. It was so good to reconnect with the people we love and soak up the natural beauty of our surroundings.

Dash stayed with the kids while we were away. While it went well for them, they did ultimately decide that Dash is better off staying with us for good.

So, now we are a two dog household!

As far as blogging goes, I’m taking things in stride. Life has been more eventful (clearly) as of late, so publishing posts here has been sporadic. I suspect it will continue to be so throughout the remainder of this summer.

A few pics from our trip to the Northland:

Instead of my usual song at the end of this post, I’m sharing a video I took on my sister and her husband’s property last weekend. I’ve gotten slightly better at taking videos with my phone, but I do apologize for the speed at which I moved it as I was capturing this footage. I hope it’s not too jarring. I recommend having the sound up so you can better appreciate the soothing sounds of the babbling Baptism River.

Baptism River July 2025
Dogs, Grandparenting, Lifestyle, Simplicity

What’s on your Summer Bucket List?

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The thing about summer is that it’s so fleeting. It comes up so fast and before you know it, the leaves are changing and the temps are dropping. Boats are put away for the season and kids are getting back to school.

Here in Minnesconsin, it is just now starting to feel like a proper summer. We have had so much rain it’s ridiculous. And if it wasn’t raining, it was in the high 90’s. As a result, we’ve been spending more time indoors than we had hoped to.

Today, however, it’s in the mid-70’s with nary a cloud in the sky. Mr. NOA and I are planning to take a cruise on our pontoon once he’s done with his workday.

I have a history of being that person with lots of grand ideas about cramming as much fun into the summer season as possible. I’m determined that this summer, with our newest grandson about to be born (daughter is being induced on Friday!), things will be less frenzied than summers past.

There’s no big travel plans on the horizon, save for a few days visiting my side of the family in northern Minnesota. We are, for the most part, staying put.

But staying put doesn’t mean fun isn’t going to be had. The fun, however, will be localized and simple.

Things like making homemade ice cream with the fancy machine my awesome SIL got me for Christmas. As many pontoon rides as possible. ‘Smores over the campfire. Putting ice cubes in the kiddy pool for Radar and our kid’s two dogs to play in on a hot day. Drinking wine on the patio at our local winery. Seeing a summer blockbuster movie in the theater. Playing croquet in the yard with our 11-year-old grandson. Gardening and further beautifying our outdoor space. Getting out in our kayaks.

And of course, rocking that baby.

I’ve created a Spotify playlist for our pontoon excursions this summer. It’s filled with “yacht rock” style music, mostly from the 70’s and 80’s. I’ll be adding this one as soon as I hit the publish button on this post.

Please share what’s on your summer bucket list in the comments!

Adventure, American Politics, Blogging, Books, Storytelling, Travel

Sensational Solo Sightseeing in DC

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This blog post has been a work in progress for over a week now. It’s getting published today in spite of the anguish I feel over the results of the Presidential election.

You can go ahead and make fun of me, call me dramatic, whatever. I’m distraught and worried about what the next four years is going to look like for us all, and I believe I have reason to be.

This very well may be the last time I post anything remotely political on this blog. I’m spent; yet determined to carry on with my quest to put some measure of good out there into the world via this blog.

That said, I greatly enjoyed my time in Washington, DC during the last week of October. Those of you who have been following me for a bit may recall that I was planning on traveling as Mr. NOA’s “plus one” for this work trip in our nation’s capital.

Inspired by a book I read as part of my “24 books in 2024” challenge, “Life in Five Senses” by Gretchen Rubin, which I wrote about it in this post, let me tell you all about my experiences sightseeing solo in DC through my own five senses.

SIGHT

I saw the American people and foreign tourists in all their glory. On the Metro platform, the blond yoga lady with her mat tucked under her arm. Little ones in their strollers. The buddhist monks (or Hare Krishnas?) with their orange sarongs on the National Mall. Some were more red. It made me wonder what the significance of the colors orange and red were to them. There has to be some significance, right? I visited the National Gallery, where I had the pleasure of viewing a large installation of French Impressionist art. It is amazing to me how large some of these pieces are and how much they look like actual photographs.

At the International Spy Museum, I got to see a multitude of exhibits featuring various gadgets used by spies over the years. I enjoyed some interactive exhibits there as well. There was an area where you could sit down and do these perception games. That was really interesting. Seeing a man’s face that at first to me looked like a woman sitting down with her head over her knees. The picture morphed several different times (or was that an illusion?) until at the end it was clear that it was a man’s face. It looked to me like Fred Flinstone. The other perception game I did was where I had to read a list of color words (like purple, white, brown, etc) but the colors didn’t match the word for the color. The mind is an interesting thing. It took concentration to get that right.

HEARING

This is more nuanced because the truth is, my hearing has diminished over the years. I did hear a lot of honking. One thing a person ought to know about visiting our nation’s capitol is that it’s cars that have the right of way, not pedestrians. Pedestrians, while there are plenty of them in DC, are essentially 2nd class citizens there. You could have 42 seconds to get from one side of the intersection to the other, and that black sedan turning left is going to be mere inches from you as you stride to the other side. The engineers (or is it operators?) of the Metro trains whose job it is to announce things over the loudspeaker were hard for me to hear. It’s similar to the experience one has at a children’s play where the kids don’t project their voices while simultaneously speaking rapidly. Luckily I didn’t have to rely on the voice on the loudspeaker to know where my next stop was as there’s a digital sign embedded into the wall that notifies the passengers of this important information.

TOUCH

This brings me to “touch”. One thing I did a lot of touching of whilst navigating my way through DC was escalator railings. This was due to my neuroses regarding escalators. They freak me out. My Grandma, the one I was closest with, had the same affliction. Though the difference between us is that I will indeed ride escalators. My Grandma, Pearl, flat out refused. However, elevators were an acceptable alternative to her. I have this macabre image in my head of falling backwards while riding an escalator, clunking my noggin on the metal as my body rapidly descends to the bottom. So, yes, if you see me on an escalator I will be the woman clutching onto the railing for dear life, taking deep soothing breaths while ascending or descending.

SMELL

Cannibas, which is legal there. What’s interesting is that I remember it being a bigger feature of my experience in DC when I was there in 2022. I didn’t smell it almost literally everywhere I went this time. I greatly enjoyed the savory aroma of ethnic dishes that wafted through the air as I walked through a pedestrian mall on my way to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. I resisted the urge (perhaps I shouldn’t have) to taste any of it, however, as I wanted to maximize my time in the museum.

TASTE

On my way back to the Union Station Metro to catch my train back to Silver Spring, I enjoyed my first ever “black and white” shake at the Shake Shack, along with some parmesan truffle fries. That cool creamy deliciousness was such a sweet little reward after having logged over 14,000 steps per my Amazfit watch. A glass of chilled Chardonnay was savored later when I met up with Mr. NOA and some of his work colleagues at a slightly upscale restaurant we enjoy visiting in Silver Spring.

Here’s a little collage of some pics I snapped during my sightseeing tour:

Adventure, Blogging, Humor, Inspire, Travel

Solo in D.C.

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Recently, I had the good fortune of visiting one of my favorite cities, Washington, D.C. I tagged along with Hubs, who had to be there for several days for work.

Whilst Hubs was occupied with giving presentations, attending meetings, and working his IT magic to serve his agency’s mission of saving American lives from weather calamities, I took the opportunity to explore the D.C. area solo despite my anxiety about getting lost in the city or getting mugged or kidnapped.

I was inspired to embark on sightseeing in D.C. solo in part through reading Caitlin Kelly’s blog, Broadside.  Caitlin is far more worldly than I, to say the least.  She inspired me to get out into D.C. all by my lonesome, instead of staying in the safety of our hotel room in Silver Spring, MD, where I would no doubt be reading, writing, taking a dip or two in the pool, and watching movies on cable. All things I can do at home. I figured, if she could travel solo outside the U.S., I could certainly manage a couple of days on my own in D.C. And…YOLO, right?

I, of course, took a number of pictures on my D.C. adventure. So here’s my little “show and tell” of my time spent in our nation’s capital:

This is a picture of a picture in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. I happened upon it in the Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice exhibit. It appears this lovely sea otter is praying. Or perhaps simply meditating?  Either way, this picture speaks to me spiritually. It’s very Zen, don’t you think?

 

 

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This one is from the American Democracy exhibit found in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. As a proud feminist and firm believer that women should play a much larger role in American politics, I couldn’t not share this picture.

 

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Let’s please put a woman in the white house in my lifetime mkay?

 

This is the first regal looking building I laid my eyes on after stepping off the metro. When I realized what it was, I wished with all my heart that I had a dozen eggs on hand.

 

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Trump International Hotel

Anyone recognize this staircase I’m about to climb? I was told on good authority (our friend John with whom we were dining in Georgetown that evening) that this was the staircase from which the priest was thrown at the end of the movie “The Exorcist”. It’s safe to say that I was more than happy to be climbing up it as opposed to down.

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My backside as I approached the famous staircase

This picture was taken from my perch at a nearby table in Martin’s Tavern. It has a rich history and is known to be the oldest dining establishment in the D.C. area. JFK proposed to Jackie here. The host, Mike, mingles around the tables of diners telling tales of the place. Dining here was indeed one of the highlights of our trip.

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Martin’s Tavern, Georgetown. Standing is Mike, the host with the most

This one was taken as I, covered in sweat due to the ridiculous heat and high humidity (not to mention having just reached 11,000 steps on my fitbit by 3 p.m.), leaned against a cement block and delighted in watching the youngins playing in the water feature without any cares in the world. A delightful break at that moment in time. I was thisclose to jumping in and frolicking around with those kiddos. But I figured it was weird enough for the parents of these children that I was all by myself taking this picture. 

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Georgetown Waterfront Park

And then there are those pics I only took in my mind. Like the one I saw through the window on the metro of graffiti framing the foliage on the other side of the track. To me it represented the beauty of nature and the grit of the city living in harmony. Or the one of my fabulous meal of lump crabmeat, fresh mushrooms, and squash in hollandaise sauce atop english muffins (known as the “Tavern Treat”) at Martin’s Tavern. Or the one of the beautiful mahogany bar housed at J.Paul’s in Georgetown. The bartender shared that the bar itself was formerly housed in the Chicago stockyards and rumor has it that Al Capone himself had enjoyed a beverage or two at it back in the day. J.Paul’s also features antique brass elevator doors brought over from New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Simply gorgeous.

bloggingfundamentals, Employment, Money, Work Ethics

Monday Money Musings

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There is a multitude of tracks I could take this one on. This may or may not be a regular feature on this blog. But it is a topic on which I have much to say, truth be told. Thoughts in my head re: money right now…..

  1. ) How much do I want and for what? And why? Always remember that how you use money shows what you value, what your priorities are.
  2. ) Smart financial moves/timeline for me and the Hubs.
  3. ) Totally bi-polar thoughts about winning the lottery.
  4. ) Compare current national budget/priorities and what I would change if I had the POWER. 
  5. ) Money as a means to an end.
  6. ) Somewhere in the Bible it says that money is the root of all evil. And I will not be evil. Spiritual lessons/deep theological thinking of money and it’s place in my life.
  7. ) Follow the money (you’d be right if you suspected this was related to the current shit show going on in our nation’s capital).
  8. ) I want to have just enough money. Having too much money would just make life unnecessarily complicated.

Okay, I have decided to pick #8. It’s my favorite number for a boatload of reasons. The best version of myself, the one that is emotionally intelligent, humble, and peaceful at heart, fervently wants “just enough” when it comes to the almighty dollar.

But the question is what, for me, is “just enough”? Is it enough for all the monthly bills to be paid with a bit of spare change left over to buy the simple things in life, like a reasonably priced bottle of vino, or a cup of coffee and a cupcake to enjoy while chatting with my new Colorado girlfriends? Is it “just enough” to fund all of my fanciful vacation dreams (Hawaii, Germany, Canada, Cuba, Sonoma, I could go on and on and on)? Is it “just enough” to financially contribute to causes I believe in that need the cash now more than ever (i.e.,Planned Parenthood, the millions of Go Fund Me campaigns for folks who had the misfortune of being poor and sick in Trump’s America)?

These are all questions, for me, to struggle with.

I think it is highly important that I am honest and clear about my privilege when it comes to money.  First off, I am a white American. That is an advantage that I believe I may never fully comprehend.  How I was raised and the trials/tribulations (aka good and bad choices) of “adulting” have informed my relationship to these pieces of green paper. I grew up in a middle class household. Both of my parents worked. Hard. They had iron-clad work ethics. They were great at saving, so much so that they were able to fully fund 4 years of college for me, for which I will be forever indebted to them. I married a guy who is a very smart, hard-working scientist who over the course of about 25 years has worked his way to a very comfortable salary. Because of this, I was able to be a stay at home mom for the better part of the first 5 years of our children’s lives. As a family, we went on a few nice vacations. We have had the financial ability to purchase 5 homes and sell 3 (making a profit each time). My primary reason for obtaining paid employment for myself was because I wanted to. I enjoyed learning new things on the job, making new friends, and my confidence as a woman grew tremendously from bringing home a little extra bacon. I’ve been so, so lucky.

At this point in my life, however, I have the luxury of being unencumbered by paid employment. I get to make my own daily schedule. Essentially, I am time wealthy but not financially wealthy. It’s hard to say which one is better. Honestly, it depends on the day.

Yet, the thought of raking in my own dough again is totally beckoning me right now. I know that sounds gross and greedy. Two things I don’t wish to ever be called. Maybe I should just increase my volunteer hours at the food bank and/or find another volunteer gig. That would be so rewarding.  But then I may not be able to fulfill my vacation fantasies. This is a first world “problem” obviously. I come from a place of privilege in comparison to my peers in most other countries. And that I must not forget.

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