Wednesday, November 26, 2014

My travels

Today my daughter, Jonalee, and her husband, Nathan, have gone off to France without me. My choice. I needed some time to clear/organize my thoughts. The last few days have been so amazing!
I tried to add a picture and my expertise doesn't allow that. I only have the iPad with me so I will leave spaces and edit them in when I get home. 
BACKGROUND
When I retired from teaching, four years ago, Jonalee and I went to Germany and Belgium for her to do research on reliquies from the Middle Ages.
Check at www.roxelana6.blogspot.com  She has blogged the whole trip and is currently adding to it.
When we return for the evening, I can't organize my thought enough to blog.
Today I am going to try to fill you in with my adventures!
When I knew that we were coming here, four years ago, I told the person that had asked about getting German stamps that I thought I could do that if she still wanted them. She did. I used demo finder to locate a demo in Koblenz, Germany. In the first email I only asked if she could communicate with me in English. Sounds a lot like a scam!
She replied, "Yes."
I said I would like to order some stamps and she replied with the rules that you can't send them out of the country. I told her I knew those rules but I would pick them up. We wrote many emails and she helped us find a place to stay near her house and picked us up from the train station. It was the start of a life long friendship even though I was pretty sure we wouldn't meet, in person, again.
So, when Jonalee and Nathan invited me to accompany them this time........
Another order for Christine but, this time, I had a bed made in the corner of her stamp room. I had very pleasant dreams there.
Since I am always cold, I made a wrap from repurposed cashmere sweaters to keep me warm on the plane and at night, if necessary.



THE TRIP
I am known for taking the scenic route when I go almost every place. Getting to Chicago to fly was no different. Plan A was to ride with Dawn to Madison if Isabelle's blood count was good for her treatment. (Please say prayers for her, Dawn's daughter, as she is shortly out of surgery as I write this.) I was to be at Dawn's house at 6AM. Her count wasn't as it should be BUT she did have to go for another test later in the day. Bless Dawn and Isabelle, who left earlier than they had to to get me there in time. She took me to Jonalee and Nathan's house where we transferred the luggage. They had a little more and I had a little suitcase so we consolidated by having me take a larger suitcase that they had there. I had brought a family history book along to look at in the car but as long as we now had room.......it went along. This is VERY important later on!
Off to Darla's! (She is my second daughter) Another transfer of luggage and off to the airport after a short visit with Darla and Jessica, who was home, sick, from school.
7PM we board the plane. All is going well!





















We are ready to go and the pilot tells of there will be a delay. Two and a half hours later we have take off. We did have a little to eat at the airport because we knew they were serving supper on the plane. Thank goodness!
It was 11:00 PM when we were served supper because of that delay. It was a delicious meal. I chose the chicken. The other choice was beef. It came with rice and veggies, a roll, crackers and cheese.
We were served breakfast about 3:00AM.
Cold cuts and cheese on a croissant with orange juice and water. Also either tea or coffee.

DUBLIN, IRELAND
We had a short layover because of the delay in Chicago.
It figures! They had free wifi in the airport there.

HAMBURG
We got some Euros, found out the price of a taxi, and got to our hotel.
I have had many types of taxi drivers but this one was a whole new type!
Now our clocks are six hours ahead of yours!
On our new time, it is 6:00 PM and Jonalee's new friend's husband (check Jonalee's blog) picked us up, took us to their house, and fed us an awesome typical German meal!
Thank you Chris and Andy!
Pot roast with crisp edges, red cabbage, dumplings and gravy!
Chris and Jonalee have hobbies and interests that match really well!
It was a wonderful visit. Then Andy returned us to our hotel.

Jonalee, Chris, Andy, Nathan

Very good night's sleep!

2 comments:

  1. Hmmmmm I will have to reread Jonalee's blog about her new friend. I enjoy her perspective also....but it is different from yours. I can't wait to see pics. Keep havin' fun. I made cards all afternoon. :-)

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  2. Again so glad you are having a great time.

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