Prisoner of Hopes

Tag: gratitude

  • Birthday Special: Rural Road Trip

    My mother in law (who is likely reading this) just had a birthday. This year she insisted on taking all of her children and spouses out for fried chicken. In her world (and mine) family is everything. On her ninetieth birthday, all she wanted was a trip to a beautiful nearby state park with her…

  • On The Road Again: Rural Road Trips

    As we head out on another adventure, I am oddly ambivalent. I don’t feel ill, but I also am not myself. Usually I am giddy with excitement. Today, I could just as easily go back inside and hide under a blanket. But grand adventures aren’t for the timid. So we load up, hook up the…

  • Mishap at the Holy Well: Travel Goals Ireland

    After a long day of sightseeing at Castle Coole and Enniskillen Castle, the light rain finally stopped. On the way home, I asked to stop at St. Patrick’s Holy Well in Belcoo, Northern Ireland. I promised my husband a 99 (icecream) after we made the stop at the small pilgrimage site. Unexpectedly, we hit a…

  • Travel Goals: Arrival

    Travel day is stressful, at least if you are me. Unable to control even a little bit of the day’s schedule, we arrive at the airport earlier than expected. Yay! Our flight is delayed… sigh. The crew shows up. Yay! The leave to sit out the delay elsewhere… sigh. Once aboard, we settle in for…

  • My Toes Are Cold

    As I sit and watch the snow outside my window, my toes are cold. But my coffee is warm. I have central heating in my house and a blanket on the arm of my chair. My toes are cold, but they don’t have to be. Down the hall, I have a warm bed which I…

  • Another Christmas….

    I am up early this morning. Another Christmas when I can’t sleep. Waiting in the glow of Christmas tree lights, I give thanks for the family sleeping under my roof this morning. Another Christmas Eve is in the books. Everyone gathered and all the cars in the driveway, I finally relax. My version is to…

  • Retracing Our Footsteps: Travel Goals

    Sometimes you encounter a place you can’t wait to share. I was captivated by Orta San Guilio and couldn’t wait to share it with my family. After excitedly sharing the virtues of a visit, we drove over on a bright Monday morning. The destination did not disappoint. First we trekked up the mountain to visit…

  • Valley of the Castles: Travel Goals

    We are up at dawn. This is the first real adventure with my extended family. My brother drives us over the mountain in his rental car. I am now in the backseat. No longer the driver or the navigator, I am left to look out the side window. I try not to be a backseat…

  • Between a Rock and a Foggy Place: Travel Goals

    It is still raining in Lesa. We head to Varese where there are a few indoor museums. The weather there should be clear and we will be able to visit the Sacred Mountain of Varese. We head out and the rain stops as we get farther down the road. It is looking pretty good, until…

  • Stress free Stresa: Travel Goals

    It is a rare day that we both awaken at about the same time. In sync, we enjoy coffee. My husband decided to try Italian toasted bread. You buy it prepackaged and already toasted. It is hard as a rock. I took a hard pass. He is desperate because there is no toaster in the…