Well, Hello Paris, La Ville de la Lumiere-The City of Light! I still couldn’t believe it, Paris, oh, La La! Four-thirty AM, awake and alert, no joke! That time zone business still biting me, waking me long before the city stirred. My family was zonked like zoo animals, wrapped in flannel sheets and huge comforters, completely out. I stood on my balcony again, totally enthralled by the sleeping city, its indescribably enchanting and fetching life surrounded and captured, as br

Well hello Paris, Bonjour! You’d think I would’ve slept like a baby, but I couldn’t contain my excitement, yes, you got me, awake again at four AM and sneaking a peek out our Paris Balcony! I’d grown fond of the little store across the street and three stories down, I made up reasons to go in there, in some ways, it was like a 7-11, but it had its own little charm. Part of the reason was out front of the store, there were the most beautiful fresh rosy-red raspberries, plumb b

Well goodbye London, Hello Paris, Bonjour! Once again, I find myself awake at four AM, ready to explore. I burrowed into my covers, adjusting them to keep warm while reflecting on yesterday’s great adventure. From the moment we woke, we were on the move, visiting countless amazing landmarks. Here are a few highlights: a few highlights: (references from Wikipedia). The Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is a masterpiece of dramatic spires and pointed arches. Know

Well, hello again London! I woke slowly, realizing we were still in London, its pageantry and grace charming us everywhere we looked. Yesterday we explored Paddington Station, its glamour, neighborhood spirit and transportation history stamped in time, opening in 1854 and designed by Isambard Brunel. It was also the home of a most adorable bear, Paddington, featured in numerous books and movies.  Our visit to Notting Hill was just as memorable with storybook streets, candy

Well,   hello London! I woke up hours before my family, it was dark outside, the booming fireworks from the night before settled in over me, we were celebrating the New Year in Europe! After arriving the day before, and an all-night flight, jet lag yanked the rug out from under us as we stayed up, not napping from our 7:30 AM flight on New Year’s Eve.  That morning, we had been all in for visiting the world famous Borough Market, tasting, window-shopping and soaking up the w

Our family yearned for a London/Paris trip as long as I can remember, but there’s something about being outside, sitting in quiet, listening to waves, stargazing, and dreaming that made it happen. We were home, planning, gathered round a roaring fire with crisp winter evening’s faint bite of cold brushing our cheeks. Voices carried our dreams across our back yard, across the water to London Bridge, The Eiffel Tower and beyond as tides moved gently under fading sky to make mag

New Year’s resolutions have long been meaningful traditions, offering time to pause, reflect, and look ahead. With the blog being developed these past few months, we’ve considered where we’ve been and where we hope to go, with a desire for growth, balance, and purpose. I’ve had so much fun working with our team, writing, gardening and cooking, which have dominated time. My favorite pics: Some of my resolutions concern health and choices I make every day. Like many people, I a

It seems like New Year’s Eve has always been with us, and it kind of has, at least since the 1800’s, where Americans gathered and celebrated, often influenced by European traditions of partying and merrymaking. By 1907, Americans welcomed and anticipated fireworks and feasts on the eve of the new year, and the resulting New York Times Square Waterford crystal LED ball drop in Manhattan has become a mainstay that we enjoy to this day.  By the late 19 th  century, drinking cham

Tricked out custom motorcycles sent a thrum and raw energy ricocheting across the gulf and beyond as my family and I attended this one of a kind motorcycle event. The cool November afternoon had us all humming with various live bands and music that throbbed from decked out motorbikes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The biggest motorcycle rally in Texas is the Lone Star Rally in Galveston, Texas, which occurs over four days, November 6 th  through November 9 th, 2025

It was a near perfect lazy October day in Galveston, Texas; we’d traveled there to celebrate a very special family birthday dinner. Motoring along the seawall, as always, we were entertained by amusing laughing seagulls, willet and sandpipers diving and running as water ebbed and flowed, supping on shrimp and crabs. The beach’s roiling waves and sand whipped into a blustery huff as we unrolled our windows, gulping briny sea air. We couldn’t wait, watching for the humongous cr

Every year, we have a Fall Costume Contest & Pumpkin Carving Halloween Party.  Here, please come to ours with us. It's informal, fun and everybody gets creative about what they want to come dressed as and what their carved pumpkin at the end of the night should look like.  We ordered from The Original Mexican Café  in Galveston and made some dishes of our own. We often do this combo for parties, cook some and order food delivered to the house, that way it’s not overwhelming.

You know Marilyn , my friend from nursing school and fellow ER nurse that worked with me. Yes, that Marilyn, that totally insanely crazy friend of mine had somehow talked me into taking an art class, convincing me that we could hang our pictures proudly in our homes, people would admire  them when they came to visit, stare  at them fondly.  Marilyn thought she had real promise as an up-and-coming artist, as for me, neither of us held out a glimmer of hope. I couldn’t draw if

The drive to Aunt Ruby’s wasn’t far, just about forty-five minutes or so to Baytown Texas, from our home In Alta Loma, Texas, but it seemed like forever. Just along the highway of the rugged coastline, salt air filled my nose as I dreamed of crabs, juicy oysters, crawfish, and shrimp. Aunt Ruby was the only sister of my Daddy. He had two other brothers that we didn’t see much, she was quite a prize. A smile started that I could not contain. Aunt Ruby really was like a queen,