2017 will be about hunkering down and saving money for future trips. But the real reasons we are staying home hit close to our heart.
Caring for an old dog
We’re not sure of Ned’s age since he was picked up as a stray before we adopted him. We are saying 11, but he could be much older. None of our previous labs survived past age 11, and we are hoping he holds out for much longer.
I’m usually antsy if I don’t have a trip in the planning stages. But to be able to care for this old guy, who’s such a sweet dog, is a blessing. It’s one that is leaving me surprisingly glad to be vacation-less for once.
I didn’t expect Ned to still be with us in 2017, but thanks to acupuncture and great care from his vets, he is hanging in there (knock on wood). He is a retired therapy dog and after his many years of bringing smiles to kids, he deserves a comfortable retirement.
Our Ned Devine also deserves as much time with us – at home – as possible.
Ned in his younger days
My solo trips to Bradenton
I have been flying to Bradenton, Florida, this fall and winter. I usually make at least one trip per year since my parents retired there. But my mother is now facing an unexpected health crisis. And when it rains it pours – my dad ended up needing surgery during this time too.
We’ve traveled with my folks on cruises and to Vegas, and for them to no longer be able to travel at this time feels like the closing of a fun chapter. But hopefully this speedbump is just temporary.
For now I’ll be heading back to Bradenton in winter/spring 2017. I am grateful to have the vacation days to help them during this time.
We celebrated my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary in 2015 with a trip to Las Vegas. Here we’re enjoying dinner at Mon Ami Gabi inside the Paris casino.
During these emotion-filled months, a shout out to:
- Southwest Airlines – their no-fee-for-flight-changes saved the day multiple times (three roundtrip flights in three months) when my parents’ doctors booked, canceled, and/or rebooked their surgeries and procedures
- My hubby – for holding down the fort and caring for Ned and our other two dogs while I’ve been in Bradenton
- My colleagues and friends – for steady well wishes for my parents’ health
- The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – which made return trips to Florida possible in 2016 after I had run out of vacation days
So what’s next?
Some of my favorite hobbies are on hold: reading Cruise Critic, pouring over cruise brochures, making spreadsheets to plan flights, hotels, and itineraries. And that’s ok.
We’re holding off on our next return trip to Alaska until 2018 or later. And we hope 2018 will include a long weekend in Vegas. We’ll see.
In the meantime, I’ll keep posting details of our previous Alaska trips in the hopes that they will help those of you planning your own voyage to Alaska.
