What a day yesterday! I was exhausted at the end of it. I don’t know about you, but we live a very modest lifestyle and have been through many lean years, where paying the bills and the mortgage seemed impossible. Somehow, we have always done it, but the stress was constant.
We still have very little money, but we are getting social security and pensions, so we know we can cover our basic costs every month.
So when I had to pay a chunk of money for plane fare last week and, yesterday, for a hotel in London and plane fare from Edinburgh to Paris, yours truly got very stressed. Of course, I’d already set aside those funds for the trip, but paying out what to me is a lot of money for our trip made me tense. That, coupled with the Kavanaugh hearings in Washington, was a stress-tsunami!
We’ve decided that we’ll fly into Edinburgh, go through customs, grab a bite to eat and then board a plane for Paris, where – presumably – we’ll collapse that night in our lodgings. We’re spending a week in Paris (our anniversary falls during that week) and then we’ll travel to London, spend a week there, take the train to Edinburgh, spend 2 days there, and fly home.
It all costs a whole heck of a lot more money than we are used to shelling out.
We’ve booked the hotel in London, the flights are booked, we’re waiting to hear about an apartment in Paris (Linda, we used your link) but they haven’t got back to us yet which is making us nervous. Don even called them this morning and left a message.
We haven’t booked a hotel in Edinburgh yet, or the train to London. We’ll get to that.
It’s all too much for yours truly!
The zinnias are looking lovely even in this horrible heat wave. Next week looks much better.
Hopefully, we can wrap up the Paris reservations today. The trip is in just about a month, which will be here before you know it.
In the meantime, I have been dealing with professional disappointments, jobs I thought I would have, courtesy that I expected but didn’t get, long waiting periods without any communication, all while I was waiting to book this trip, keeping a certain chunk of time open for work, trying not to conflict with any rehearsal dates, only to finally say “Screw It!” and book the trip anyway. I can’t go into any more detail than that but I’ve been hurt and disappointed. I’d even throw in ‘disillusioned.’
So we’re going when we’re going and that’s that. After 18 years of freelancing out here in the east, much of which has been lovely, by the way, I’m tired of always being the last person contacted, the one who has to constantly email or call to get someone to commit to a contract and then waiting and waiting for a response. In this world of quick emails and texts, how hard can it be to answer someone in a timely manner? I am pretty scrupulous about doing that myself and I expect others to be as well. But, they’re not. Actors have agents, directors have agents, as do designers and choreographers. There are not agents for what I do. It’s just me.
And I’m over it.
Thanks for letting me rant a little.
Happy Wednesday.
Your trip itinerary sounds wonderful. One of my student workers (well, former now) spent a semester in Edinburgh and absolutely adored it. That city is definitely on my wish list to visit. Just found out husband has business trip to Paris in spring so for sure will be going along. Something to keep me warm all winter thinking about.
I agree it is extremely rude for people not to at least acknowledge an email by saying, “I will be getting back to you as soon as I am able,” or something along those lines. I’ve never understood people who completely blow them off and you don’t hear for weeks. I don’t think it took Donald Trump to make us aware we as a society are getting progressively uncivil and rude.
Just read yesterday’s post and your show curtain rod adventure make me laugh (sorry). I thought I was the only one who had stuff like that happen to her. My latest stupidity: laying my glass bell dome down on its side well back on the kitchen counter after washing it, turning to grab a towel and – in that fraction of a second – seeing it roll off the counter and shatter on the kitchen floor. Not how I’d planned to start my day.
Oh no! Sounds very much like something I’d do!
don’t, just don’t, watch/listen to the Kavanaugh hearings- with every word he croaks, he becomes less acceptable … he is such a typical choice from ‘he who tweets’!
it is sad to feel like the one who is always last in line … especially after years of proving your ability- I hope you can concentrate on your wonderful trip and the anticipation of several weeks of pure pleasure- the $$$s spent on that will surely be worth it-
your flowers are still beautiful- every time I look at your zinnias I wonder why I didn’t plant any this year … they are such reliable bloomers, and they tolerate our East Texas weather so well- I will have them at the top of my list next spring, and I hope the bees and butterflies forgive this year’s omission-
enjoy your planning (and, if you are like most of us, your listing of ‘things to pack’)-
barb
He is appalling.
Zinnias are the best – be sure to plant them next year, Barb!
agree …
especially with the speed and ease of e-mailing and texting, there’s no excuse for not replying promptly to someone, if only to say “still working on it” or “haven’t decided yet” or “need more information”. or for not having a bounce-back reply that automatically tells you “i am out of the office until (date)” or actually returning a call … something!!!
plus, wouldn’t they want a speedy reply, too? whatever happened to living by the ‘golden rule’ of “do unto others as you’d have them do unto you”?!? makes me sad to see our social manners are on the decline.
sorry you’ve had to deal with that and been hurt. hope the jobs you want come your way. and not via turtles.
glad you have airplane tickets bought and the london hotel booked … progress! hope you hear good news from paris soon. your trip sounds lovely and the perfect way to spend an anniversary; glad you and don have this to look forward to/do! enjoy every second of it (including the planning and even the big-check-writing parts that will be worth it)! :)
hope you have a good and easy day.
kathy in iowa
The golden rule seems to be out the window. And I’m sick of people saying “Well you know he/she is awfully busy…” Too busy to write a one sentence reply? Not hardly.
I understand how you feeling, constantly waiting to hear from people, when it is VERY important. My waiting is not about work, yet it still is very rude and annoying on their part! Treat others how you would want to be treated is not everyone’s mantra!
What an adventure you are planning! While it is costly for the most part, what memories you will have! Eating at little cafes in Paris, walking the streets after dark, just every little thing is so romantic there! I won’t even go on about London, as this would become a HUGE comment! Just traveling in Europe, on trains, is wonderful. I am so very happy for you both!
Don’t watch anything political! Just think about your trip, walk your yard, look at your gorgeous gardens and flowers. Go to a book shop and skim the shelves. Take photos, drink coffee. Mark down the days till you leave. Everything will work out.
I hope you both have a wonderful, relaxed day.
It’s costly, for sure! But who knows? It may be a one-shot adventure so we’re going for it!
Thanks, Debbie!
I am looking forward to your trip! I know your photos will be great and I will vicariously enjoy a trip to Paris and London.
Thank you, Carolyn Marie!
Let God find a way to bless you today.
Thank you, Nancy. I’m pretty blessed every day.
The details of your trip sound wonderful…hope the Paris apartment works out. It’s nice that you’ve allowed extra time in Edinburgh to catch your flight to Paris. Especially if you get selected for ‘random extra screening’ in Scotland at the airport ….ask me how I know. You will need every extra minute!
I truly do know how you felt as you were writing the checks. It’s a heck of a lot of money isn’t it? Just think of all the memories you will be making…wonderful memories.
I don’t understand today’s lack of civility. When did it become the norm to be rude? How quick is it to shoot off an email? Or a text? I’m sorry you have to go through this….I hope this changes for you.
I tried watching the Kavanaugh hearings yesterday….couldn’t take it. Figured I’d be better off mentally if I stopped…too frustrating. It’s raining here again…quelle surprise! Enjoy your day! ;)
Yes, fingers crossed that I don’t get a random extra screening!
It’s SO much money! But I think it’s worth it. For us, it’s the trip of a lifetime!
I can’t watch the hearings either – I keep up to date via Twitter, but I’ll get too angry if I watch.
Hi, Claudia, I meant to suggest this yesterday and got sidetracked. When my husband and I visited Edinburgh, we stayed in a wonderful little bed and breakfast called Gruinard House (in Burntisland). Angus and Jean were lovely hosts, and Gus picked us up at the airport. We took day trips into Edinburgh over the beautiful Firth of Forth bridge, and Jean even arranged for a car rental to come straight to her home the day we wanted to do some exploring along the coast and visit all the charming little fishing villages in the kingdom of Fife. I appreciated the slower life of staying outside of Edinburgh, and then taking the train into Waverly Station. Just thought I’d throw that option out there for you! I hope you and Don have a wonderful time!!
It would be lovely but we’re only there for about 48 hours, so I want to be right in Edinburgh, Martha. But thank you!
Hi Claudia,
Please know that you are not the only ones out there who are experiencing disappointment and disillusionment. We are getting close to 50 years old and things rock along for a year or so in my husband’s jobs, just enough for us to get excited about being able to do some things and then the rug gets jerked out from under us and it’s back to square one and temp agencies. My husband is well educated with an MBA and I have had the same job working from home in the medical field for the last 18 years. It’s been a great job, but things just seem to be wrapping up in the work I do. It seems to be all going overseas and everything I know is disappearing. I just told my husband last week that he would have to start paying some of my part of the bills (we split them just about in half), when he found out that the great job he has had for the last 8 months is going away. What is wrong with us? We, too, have to email and text and feel like we are bothering the heck out of people to get an answer. It’s exhausting and very scary. It’s hard to save anything for retirement. But we have to have hope. If you don’t have hope, you don’t have much. All of that to say, please know you are NOT alone in this thing. Enjoy your trip. So glad you guys decided to go ahead with the plans. You gotta just take the leap or you’ll be sitting at home doing nothing your entire life waiting on someone else to answer an email. Believe me, I know this first hand. But we have hope. ♥ Happy Wednesday! Brooke
I’m so sorry that you are going through this. It’s not fair and I know it must be tremendously stressful for you, Brooke. Sending my love to you and your husband. xo
Claudia, I am so glad to hear you booked your trip. Waiting on answers from people who have no social graces is frustrating and disappointing and maddening. It seems to be the new norm in our society. We are from a time when all calls were answered promptly, messages were returned, and we were aware of how others felt. Nowadays it appears the only feelings people recognize are their own. I hope you will go with joy in your heart and feel free as a bird in your travels. We only live once and we should enjoy the heck out of it with the ones we love the most. I hope today brings some peace!
Susan
Thank you Susan. It was another crazy day of making decisions, but we got a lot done and I’m going to relax with Don tonight and watch a movie!
I sent you an email with other apt rentals to try. I hope that works out for you. I loved living in the apt in Paris. You are so right that is scary to spend so much money but in the end it is all worth it. These memories will last you a lifetime. I’m still savoring my memories from Paris and it’s been 5 years this week since I went.
I am so sorry about the work stuff. It gets so frustrating and the feelings of being ignored aren’t good. After all the years of being reliable and an amazing worker its hard to accept the rudeness and disregard in our world today. I’m glad you went on and booked your trip!
I’m heading to Calif next week to see Ashleigh and I’m so excited. I need to start making my lists of what to take as I don’t want to check a bag($$) and add to the cost. It’s pretty expensive just to fly across the country much less the pond!
hugs!
Yes. No one deserves that kind of treatment, and I sure as hell don’t deserve it. I’m excellent at my job and I’m reliable. The whole thing really pisses me off.
We’re packing very lightly – almost all black clothing that’s easily mixes and matched. I don’t want to pay for luggage, either!
I know when I put my problems out there it really helps me to focus on what I need to get it done. You don’t need my advice, I am sure. You and Don will figure it all out. I know your trip to Europe will work out and you will have a wonderful time. I stress out when I travel and my solution was “don’t travel”. That won’t work for many, but it does for me. Crazy old me! I don’t know what will happen with those people in charge. Scary, isn’t it? My solution is to pray constantly. I need you and Don to go out and walk the line for me. But for now you can focus on your wonderful trip and enjoy the time away.
We will walk the line for you, Tana. Promise! Thank you.
And if the answer is “no”, why don’t they just say it up front instead of dragging it on and on and on? Even businesses are guilty of this. No one answers a phone call any longer, and it seems that emails are just about the same, and texts are slowly catching up, too. Communications seem to be at an all time low now that we can “screen” calls, emails and texts.
I can not watch the hearings. I accept that I am simply not strong enough to stomach the nonsense. The road is clear for them, and I don’t know when/ or if we will ever recapture a sense of justice back in any of our court systems after what they have done over the past 20 months.
So glad you are moving ahead with the trip planning. There comes a point when you can no longer sit and wait. We do still have some small amount of control in our lives over hurt, disappointment, and disillusionment, and we need to use it when we can. Doormats should remain made of fabric, cork, and rubber. “Respect” will always be a great song and anthem!! Have a great Wednesday!
I can’t watch them either. I get too angry and my blood pressure rises.
I’m over being treated with disrespect in terms of my work. Frankly, I’ve earned the right to say “F off” to those who can’t return a phone call or respond to an email. I’m getting older and feistier.
I am not a traveller, so any thoughts I have are ‘iffy’ – but aren’t there hostiles in Europe that provide less expensive accommodations? I’m sure they’re not upscale, but short-term savings might leave money for other activities. These things always seem to work out, don’t you think?
As to Kavanaugh hearings, I’m glued to the TV. Actually, you and Kavanaugh have something in common: he spent a good part of his career coaching and preparing/rehearsing judicial nominees to put on a good show, aka confirmation hearings. Judge Kavanaugh and the Republican members’ obfuscation performances rival a Broadway farce.
No to hostels. They are for young people with strong backs and no arthritis, who don’t mind sleeping in basic accommodations on beds that are hard. We’re not going to do that, Eileen! I think the cut off time for hostels – purely for me – was by the age of 30!
I can’t even watch those hearings, Eileen. I’ll get too angry! xo
Hi Claudia. I am sorry you are finding the trip preparations stressful. I hope you get confirmation for your apartment in Paris soon. I am sure it won’t come to it but if you find it too overwhelming to search for accommodation in Edinburgh, you are welcome to stay with us in Glasgow, not that far away and quite an exciting city, too – I can drive you to and from the airport :-)
It is plain rude not to get responses to email or phone messages. It is something I complain about every day! I have a blacklist of people that I know I will not get a response from, which is too long for my liking and it affects me work. I hope you will soon hear back and I keep my fingers crossed for an exciting job offer to flutter in your inbox soon.
I am taking a break from the news and don’t know enough about the ongoing hearings to make an informed comment but from behind my screen of not being quite up to date, Kavanaugh sounds just like another Trump muppet.
Keep smiling xx
Thank you so much for your kind offer Christina. That is so sweet of you!
Isn’t this rudeness outrageous? That you have a list of people you won’t hear from and I do, too, is insane!
Kavanaugh is dirty. They’re hiding something or they would have provided all the documents.
Well, maybe you’ll reach the decision my husband finally has that, despite financial wisdom of working a few more years to try to stash away some additional money for old age, it’s time to really retire, like in totally…and just somehow live how we can. He came home last night from work and was so exhausted that I was worried for him and, now, every time something like this happens, I say to myself, “Thank God this will be over soon and we can get on with the rest of our lives.” It’s a privilege to work a job for pay. As one who couldn’t, eventually, due to health, I really reflected on the nobility of work and being able to be productive, never taking it for granted again. But there comes a time, like with everything…
Don’t always mean to have a similar story with something you say but my husband and I are pulling together a different kind of trip, that rented motorhome cross-country USA one I’d mentioned, but we’ve thrown up our hands more than once over it, exclaiming: “We can’t afford this.” Has been and still is a rollercoaster. Then one cousin weighed in this weekend, who knows us pretty well, and that we’re not irresponsible people, saying to me, “Vicki, you and I; we’re both Nervous Nellies at times, too much so. Take a deep breath. You can do this. Take the trip.”
As I’d said in another response, we’ve got seven people across the U.S. who are aging, sick or dying and I’ve already lost two cousins in the last year whom I hadn’t gotten to see in a really, really long time and now the chance is gone. But as my cousin also hinted at, besides the family visits we’re planning, it’s been decades that my husband and I have gone anywhere or done anything, so maybe it’s time to indulge a little while we still can. He said to us on the phone, “When was the last time you two ever had any FUN? You’ve been hit with everything…caregiving of three elderly adults; cancer…” (he went on to tick off several personal challenges we’ve had).
So, it’s a choice. I think we’re all allowed such choices without judgment or a need to justify.
Seems silly for me to obsess over how unprepared we might be for retirement…at least the way the ‘experts’ say we should be…and then be planning a costly road trip (although we’ll be sleeping and eating onboard, and it’s a darn small motorhome). So, I say to myself, “Vicki, quit doing that; quit back-peddling; quit procrastinating.” Like you, we’ve cobbled together Soc Security and minor pensions; we do have long-term care insurance as well, and it’s a paid-up policy. There’s some debt I would have liked another year to pay off. Oh well. We’ll never have much if anything left over with our monthly retirement income/expenses and will continue to live frugally otherwise. But I can then be content with that. Just as long as we can make our house payment each month, which we can.
So, Claudia; let’s fly unfettered, okay? The money’s paid or will be on your trip; go now, enjoy yourselves; there’s time enough ahead to belt tighten, stay home, bake biscuits with Stella, hunker down for Winter. I’m cool with everything you’re doing and I just want you and Don to have a spectacular anniversary with memories of a lifetime!
I just remember my uber-thrifty parents, with my dad retiring enough to where they could finally go on a few vacations…they got in a budget trip to Hawaii (Oahu only) where he’d been stationed in WWII. They took one of those cruises to Alaska, easy enough to do when you’re already on the West Coast as we are. And they drove cross-country to see some things Mother had always dreamed about, like the Statue of Liberty. Then, when they were both age 63, she got irreversibly ill, only to suffer with auto-immune problems for the next 25 years and they could never travel again. But one of the things that brought them great joy was remembering their brief retirement vacations, looking through their photo albums, reminiscing; so glad they’d made the decisions to go when they did.
This is, then, a cautionary tale for me…
My friend’s parents made a decision (forty) years ago to retire at age 55 and travel. My friend’s husband at the time, a CPA, thought it was the most foolhardy decision EVER and he was vocal about it with these in-laws. But at age 60, and while still traveling, my friend’s father developed pancreatic cancer and died. In her 90s, now, and not in the best financial shape from too-early retirement, my friend’s mom (his widow) has to live with her daughter to make ends meet, but she’ll tell you that she doesn’t regret the time she spent on the road with her husband in their trailer those four years, and that the memories they shared from those miles and miles count for everything with her.
We have to do what works for ourselves and it varies from person to person…I know people who could care less about traveling; they have other interests, and that’s fine (I love a lot of their interests!)…but if it works for me to take that motorhome out on the road, and for you and Don to get to Paris together, so be it!
I’ve gotta weigh in on issues of civility and manners. I feel your pain, Claudia; it must be awful to have the communication issues you’re having on jobs.
A 3rd cousin of mine got married in March – – good-sized wedding, and she sent the invitations out four months in advance with specific instrux on how to give them money toward their Scandinavian honeymoon and where you could also buy gifts for them – – and she has still not sent out one thank-you note for her gifts. Her mother is appalled (said she’s been getting calls) but can’t really control it as her daughter is a mature adult (the girl admitted to her mom that she hasn’t sent out any thank-you notes even though the wedding was nearly six months ago). I sent this girl a generous amount of cash which I would have preferred to have kept for myself, and then she doesn’t even acknowledge it? I also sent her money when she graduated from college a few years ago and again heard nothing, ever. It makes you wonder, did it ever get to her, lost in the mail? Because it wasn’t a personal check but money order or cashier’s check, not easy to trace like it would be if you saw it on your bank statement as cashed. But I’ve had this happen with my husband’s nieces, too; thank-you notes seem to be mocked.
Even more recently, in the aftermath of our wildfires, people I know had go-fund-me accounts and, again, I gave to them generously because they are people I know, and I also know they have had to get accustomed to living in rentals, getting their lives restarted; it’s been an awful time – – but no acknowledgement from them, not even a blanket email or some kind of word on the go-fund-me page, to all the people who amassed tens of thousands of dollars for them? Nine months have now passed; were it me, I would have found a way to extend my heartfelt gratitude even in a one-line sentence on a borrowed computer. My husband says I’m harsh: “Give with no demands, Vicki.” Well, I was taught differently; I was brought up on the politeness of reciprocity. Somebody does you a good turn, you say ‘thank you’.
Saw Jack White, the musician/songwriter, interviewed with Dan Rather last night on that AXSTV cable station. Very enjoyable interview; for a alt-rocker, surprisingly (why should it be surprising?) articulate and mannerly. I liked some of his music already and now I really like HIM. Loved what he said about certain things, like how young people today are missing out when the only way they’re introduced to music is through a video game, or how they’ll sit in a room side by side, texting, yet not looking at each other or actually talking. How ‘real’ vinyl is and how not real is auto-tune/studio-tweaked music.
And, with me, I’m also continually shocked at how younger people in my own family do not know how to put pen to paper; they can’t write enough to even get a point across. Apparently they can only ‘think’ via a keyboard. They print in block letters on paper and don’t even know how to make a signature. No such thing as cursive/handwriting. I have a college instructor in my midst and I’ve seen the same thing with tests she’s grading, not believing what I’m seeing from people ranging in age from 18-28. But it’s more than that; they’re losing communication skills in general. And another thing I see is a complete lack anywhere of pride in proofreading; we used to check our work and, yes, there can be occasional typos (I make my share; sometimes it’s my eyes!), but it’s sort of staggering to see the amount of stuff in print on the web, for instance (like from news agencies, online magazines, etc.), where there are so many grammatical and spelling errors, yet nobody seems to care. And, to me, when you see such blatant errors, it disrupts the reading; if I was the writer, I wouldn’t want that!
I call my own City offices for this or that and never get a ‘live’ body, only answering machine messages (voice mail) and only rarely have I ever gotten a call back, and there’s no excuse for it because I don’t live in a big city. Doesn’t my money pay these people’s salaries?
We’re losing ‘core’ things of reliability, accountability, respect, being pleasing instead of rude…my dad would say, ‘why NOT be nice?’…and of course it’s been said for years that there IS no customer service left out there in the world. Maybe the customer service reps got drained with too many nasty customers.
So, I dunno, perspective of the older adult who has lived the diff…feeling more and more sad for a lot of what we’ve lost for as much as we’ve gained. Did every older generation go thru this? I constantly think back to how I grew up, thinking about whatever it was that seemed to make us happier although of course so much of it is how I took it in as a kid so, really, how did I know about adult problems behind the scenes? I just knew I lived in a dependable house with dependable parents and that we had fun and were happy yet we lived so, so simply. Of course I had fewer ‘wants’ I guess.
I was thinking again last night after seeing that Jack White interview with him talking about his love for vinyl – – how much fun it was go to a record store and thumb through the record racks, buying a few albums, the 33 LPs. It’s been spoken of here on the blog before; so many of us remember that sort of thing. I miss going to record stores! And small, manageable bookstores. Small, manageable clothing stores. The mom & pop restaurants. The corner grocery. I live in dollar-store and chain-store ‘heaven’ (hell). It’s so sterile. I guess it’s a quest for authenticity.
I had an occasion at the post office a few weeks back where an older lady was there with a cane, struggling to get her mail our of her little post office box. She saw me there with my cloth tote bags, which I take to gather my own mail, and she said, “Why didn’t I think of bringing a bag?” (as her mail dropped all over the floor). I said, “Here I have several of these; they’re just the $1 cloth grocery bags we recycle; let’s get your mail in one.” She practically burst out in tears that I would help her like that, saying she couldn’t believe it. Really? I thought to myself, “Do people not do this kind of thing anymore, something so simple to help another person?” There’s nothing heroic in it; it should be automatic.
I still open a door for man, woman or child; it just makes sense if I’m going out and they’re walking in. I hate walking up to a door and having somebody shut it in my face, which happens frequently. It’s just basic courtesy, and then, if you dare even say anything, like to a teen on a bicycle on a sidewalk, when he should be on the street with it instead of nearly mowing over a pedestrian, he sasses back when, gosh, when I was a kid you’d never have ever thought to speak so to any adult!
Dan Rather was complimenting Jack White on his outfit for the interview, that he’d obviously taken some pains to put on a trendy suit. With Jack White saying something to the effect of, yeah, people used to DRESS and how you can look at pix of NYC or any big city in the earlier-to-mid 20th century and everybody on the street looked nice, with men and women wearing hats, that sort of thing but that, today, people go to church on Sunday in their pajamas (and when did that become acceptable, even to the person wearing them?).
I melted a girl in a medical office about three weeks ago when I told her how much I appreciated her work and patience in getting me a last-minute authorization I needed for a procedure. I wondered when she’d last been paid a compliment or given any appreciation for her job.
I’m not adding anything new here. It’s all accelerated with the current administration; lack of civil and dignified discourse we all witness, even on TV with the talking heads who used to rein it in a little more than they do now. I refuse to fall into the pit. I’m watching my language with people; trying harder to not spew anything vitriol (the stuff that makes another person wince) or go too high or too low with emotion when I’m having a conversation with someone. I found myself beginning to lose any ‘refinement’ I ever might have had. I don’t want to be one of those people with no filter. The last person on earth I’d ever want to be is anything at all like Trump.
Am now very interested to read Bob Woodward’s book of course, since it’s been all over the headlines. I have read several of his books. Read a commentary on it this morning, written by someone who used to work in Homeland Security, and she talked of how the book is about so much more than Trump but instead about us, as a nation; how we’re weakened internally when the government’s own agencies don’t have the support of The White House (she termed it “lights out” at the top, if I may paraphrase). Don’t mean to quote her without reference but that ‘lights out’ description really struck a chord.
I fell victim to my own rant. I’m sorry, Claudia. You don’t deserve the treatment you’re getting in your freelance-work life. It’s just part of the epidemic. We’re in a culture that needs healing and a better direction.
I’m a homebody, but this trip is something Don and I have talked about for years. It’s time to go for it. And for you to go out and have a ball in your motorhome.
Okay; let’s do it!
xo
I freaked out a little today because we ended up going with a hotel in Paris that was more than I had planned on paying, but I turned to Don and said, “I don’t want to stay in some depressing hotel. It’s our 20th anniversary and we will be in Paris! I want something romantic!” And he agreed. So that’s what we’re doing. I don’t know if we’ll get a chance to take a trip like this again, so we’re going for it. We never spend a lot on food, we’re not foodies, so we’ll cut costs there.
I have an old friend from high school that travels a lot and he says it’s the one area of his life where he throws ‘frugal’ out the window. Travel is about EXPERIENCE. And a certain measure of indulgence! With everything else in life, he really watches the pennies and is super-disciplined. But, like, he went to your neck ‘o the woods a few months ago, just for a week to NYC/Manhattan to sightsee, and he and his wife ‘did it up’, staying in a well-known hotel and going to Broadway shows. Made a memory.
Claudia, it’s PARIS. You did right by booking a nice place. It’s not like you’re staying there for a month. Splurging a little in Paris? I’m into it! I’ve had a couple of nice hotel rooms in my life and I remember every aspect; every accoutrement. A little pampering is never a bad thing…
Thank you!
as they say in sports… keep your eye on the ball! and the ball is your upcoming trip.
your health is good and your man is alive and well too. and the two of you are going to have such wonderful memories of this romantic time! Paris! and London! and Edinburgh! oh my!
I would watch Midnight in Paris again before I go. and maybe my favorite films of London as a backdrop to the story. or even just favorites set in a distant time with London as the setting!
and I am through with this sorry excuse of a modern technological age. people have lost basic courtesy. and that’s a stupid pity. I suppose now the secret of surviving it all is to simply always expect NOTHING in the way of good behavior. then if it happens … ENJOY it! :) xo
I watch Charade and Amelie – both of which are my favorite movies set in Paris! We’re watching Amelie tonight. We also watched The King’s Speech last night – which takes place in London.
I sure don’t see a lot of polite and respectful business behavior out there. It’s sad.
Sorry to hear you’re coping with such grief right now. Planning travel is never really fun – and I’m guessing that by the time you get back – you’ll say it was all worth it. But wouldn’t it be lovely if there were no hassles to start with? I’m dreaming or delirious, I guess. IMO, most arise from people being either incompetent, or too lazy to do their jobs correctly. I think the world needs a Nobel Prize for Competence, where someone who earns this honor has been shown to be exceedingly good at his/her job – whatever it might be. Top notch, top knowledge. Too many people these days get away with being really poor at their jobs – including most managers & supervisors [who could do something about their badly-performing underlings if they wanted to]. Guess I’m having a little rant of my own! Try to concentrate on all the fun you’re going to have, the things you’re going to see. Maybe all the hassles are just part of the price you have to pay. Yeah, it sux – but here you go. Peace.
#Resist
#ProtectMueller
Go ahead and rant, Janet. I understand!
We’re getting more and more excited about our trip!
Forget expensive hotels, a B&B is the way to go in Edinburgh
We’ll check that out, Deborah. Thank you,
Think of all the great possibilities when you get to your destinations. Planning a trip can be frustrating and nerve wracking.
Marilyn
We’ve talked privately of how common decency is now extinct. Recently I posted the following review on Amazon for a wedding present I had purchased for a couple. “Delivered BEFORE promised. It was a wedding gift for a young couple who are having His and Hers wedding hikes the morning of their wedding. It looked very classy and hip in the photos and they were over the moon about it. In their thank you note* they said they couldn’t wait for the wedding day but on using it on a hike this weekend. (*A thank you note is a method, rarely used, of thanking someone for a gift. It consists of actually writing, with a pen, on paper (before laptops), putting it in an envelope (kind of a paper suitcase) affixing a stamp (an one-inch-square gummed picture of a flag) and placing it in a Blue Metal box so dinosaurs can’t get it. Considered extinct.)” They deleted it because they considered it offensive. I asked who did I offend. Their answer? Our young customers who don’t like writing thank you notes.” I challenged them saying unless they reinstated comment, I would shop elsewhere. They apologized and reinstated. But to be deleted for calling out rudeness? Sheeesh.
Unbelievable. But all too believable at the same time.
Glad you challenged them, Tina. They deserved to be called on that.
Sigh. Still haven’t heard from anyone and I’m getting ready to RESPOND.
I cannot believe this…I mean I believe you, but I can’t believe this could even happen because your comment was spot on, Tina. Good job of sticking to your guns. I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s a stickler for a thank-you note.
Vicki, I used to get written thanks yous for wedding and baby gifts always. And now barely an email. When this sweet young couple sent a thank you within a week of receiving, I called the bride’s mom to tell her how shocked I was and she laughed and said her daughter was always like that. I (and all our mutual friends) still have not received any thank yous for gifts and attendance at a very expensive New Orleans destination wedding a year ago!
Hi Claudia, I think I have a pretty clear picture of what happened, if I could just say,it wasn’t you at all. Something happened along the way (there is a good chance it was Money ,or Sex or possible opportunity) but your ages are all wrong.for the last one .You just stand Tall and Be proud of you and Don, and all you stand for. And be glad your on the true side.
Do you think either or both of you will take your “Pro” Camera.
.Judy A-
I’ll take my camera, but Don’s is vintage and very, very heavy and it isn’t used for sightseeing. He’ll take his phone and maybe his 35 mm camera.
Thanks, Judy.
I hope your have a wonderful vacation. Sounds like you need it :)
We do. It’s been both a great and heartbreaking year. We are looking forward to this trip. A lot. Thanks.
I’m sure that you will get through this stress now and go on to have the trip you have both dreamed of!
Thank you, Nancy!