Monday, November 1, 2010
Finally!
I've had a hard time trying to get myself to start blogging again since I've been home, simply because I wanted to get my trip posts moved to a new blog. It's a challenge to me to figure out how to do things like this on my own instead of calling one of my kids with an SOS--Please HELP! (Thank you Lynisha for all the many times you've rescued me!) Anyway I did it, it's done (for now) and now I have no excuse to not do any new posts!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The time has come
"The walrus said..."
Now really, I have no idea where that saying came from, except that I remember my grandma Ruth saying it!
Anyway, it popped into my head when I was starting this post, so that's what I wrote!
3 years ago, the first of July our Daughter Laura went to Finland to live and work.
Without today's technology of cell phones, skype, internet--e-mail, blogging and facebook, I can hardly imagine how difficult it would be to have any of my children go so far away. When I was a kid, "over-seas" was very very far away, and rather un-imaginable.
Today's technology and the ease/frequency of travel makes it a whole different scenario. While it was still difficult to see her leave, I know it was no where near close to years ago when travel & communication was a very long and difficult process.
This was a couple months before I started blogging, so I'll post the pictures from then.
Our family--at the airport to see her "off"...
Some of her co-workers who came
Goodbye's are a bit hard at best, and there's alot of distance & time with this one!
At least there was a smile for the last view before the gate!
*******
Last summer our 14 year old daughter went to visit her for 3 months, traveling by herself. (See here) I don't think I ever would have been able to send her alone without the technology! She flew from Denver to Newark, NJ, and I saw her on the plane in Denver. Laura was in communication with me via cell phone at the same time as tracking Meshayla's flight progress on the computer. From boarding, to take off, to progress in the air.
Meshayla called me as soon as they landed in Newark, and I talked to her as she went from her arrival gate, to her departure gate, both of us looking at the maps of the terminal that we printed off the computer. She hung up after telling me she was on the plane, and Laura called to tell me that the plane had taken off. She sent me updates via facebook telling me of her progress as long as it was available, & then called to tell me that the plane had landed, and Meshayla was safely on the "otherside" and by her side.
We worked it in reverse on her flight back home 3 months later. Pretty much kept the whole "traveling on her own" thing bearable. (And yes Lynisha and Relyssa, I know...I STILL had some moments...)
Anyway....a little side tracked with where this post was suppose to be going....
It's MINE....For the very first time, I have a passport. Travel in my life has been very limited & I've never had a reason to get one before.
After much talking, persuading & figuring out plans, *I* am going to visit Laura! Leon can't go as he dosen't have time off from his job available.
I applied for and got my passport in record time, still didn't know for sure who was going to go with me, I was NOT wanting to go by myself, and I was thrilled when my friend Ruthie said how much she'd like to visit over there, and I said "Would you like to go with me"? and she said "YES"!
(Raimie w/baby P. Gay,-- me, and Lynisha with our friend Ruthie. We spent the night and had Sunday morning and noon with her on our way home from our trip to Longaberger country Ohio.)
I leave the middle of Sept, and will be gone for 3 weeks.
Now I have my work cut out for me. Arrangements for kids. Laundry done up. Bills paid. I have a convention to get ready for first, and then last but not least......
The all consuming question of WHAT CLOTHES DO I TAKE?
Now really, I have no idea where that saying came from, except that I remember my grandma Ruth saying it!
Anyway, it popped into my head when I was starting this post, so that's what I wrote!
3 years ago, the first of July our Daughter Laura went to Finland to live and work.
Without today's technology of cell phones, skype, internet--e-mail, blogging and facebook, I can hardly imagine how difficult it would be to have any of my children go so far away. When I was a kid, "over-seas" was very very far away, and rather un-imaginable.
Today's technology and the ease/frequency of travel makes it a whole different scenario. While it was still difficult to see her leave, I know it was no where near close to years ago when travel & communication was a very long and difficult process.
This was a couple months before I started blogging, so I'll post the pictures from then.
Some of her co-workers who came
*******
Last summer our 14 year old daughter went to visit her for 3 months, traveling by herself. (See here) I don't think I ever would have been able to send her alone without the technology! She flew from Denver to Newark, NJ, and I saw her on the plane in Denver. Laura was in communication with me via cell phone at the same time as tracking Meshayla's flight progress on the computer. From boarding, to take off, to progress in the air.
Meshayla called me as soon as they landed in Newark, and I talked to her as she went from her arrival gate, to her departure gate, both of us looking at the maps of the terminal that we printed off the computer. She hung up after telling me she was on the plane, and Laura called to tell me that the plane had taken off. She sent me updates via facebook telling me of her progress as long as it was available, & then called to tell me that the plane had landed, and Meshayla was safely on the "otherside" and by her side.
We worked it in reverse on her flight back home 3 months later. Pretty much kept the whole "traveling on her own" thing bearable. (And yes Lynisha and Relyssa, I know...I STILL had some moments...)
Anyway....a little side tracked with where this post was suppose to be going....
It's MINE....For the very first time, I have a passport. Travel in my life has been very limited & I've never had a reason to get one before.
After much talking, persuading & figuring out plans, *I* am going to visit Laura! Leon can't go as he dosen't have time off from his job available.
I applied for and got my passport in record time, still didn't know for sure who was going to go with me, I was NOT wanting to go by myself, and I was thrilled when my friend Ruthie said how much she'd like to visit over there, and I said "Would you like to go with me"? and she said "YES"!
(Raimie w/baby P. Gay,-- me, and Lynisha with our friend Ruthie. We spent the night and had Sunday morning and noon with her on our way home from our trip to Longaberger country Ohio.)
I leave the middle of Sept, and will be gone for 3 weeks.
Now I have my work cut out for me. Arrangements for kids. Laundry done up. Bills paid. I have a convention to get ready for first, and then last but not least......
The all consuming question of WHAT CLOTHES DO I TAKE?
Leavin' on a Jet Plane
Finland journal--Part 1
Wednesday Sept 15
I managed to get packed, my tomatoes froze, & my mind wrapped around the idea that I really did not have to do all the misc things that were needing done at home. My mom is there caring for the two youngest (the two older M & M's are with their older sister)
I know mom is capable of folding the clean clothes, emptying the dishwasher, sweeping the floor....I really did walk out of the house on my own, and did not have to be carried, kicking or screaming. That is not to say that I wasn't a total wreck of nerves. I was!
We left home at 6:30 in the a.m. to Omaha where I flew out of at 10, arriving in Chicago around noon.
I was so pleased to have Rob (Ruth's husband) meet me when I got off the plane. I would have hated to try to make my way around that airport alone. We went down to the baggage claim area where Ruth was waiting for me. My flight to Chicago was un-eventful, but my nerves from being away from home really did not calm down until I was with Ruth, and reality really set in!
We had several hours to wait until our plane loaded, direct from Chicago to Stockhom Sweden. Although I have flown quite a few times, and on different airlines, but I have never been on a plane of that size!
It had 3"rooms" and the area we were in two seats on each side of the plane, then a row of 4 across the middle where our seats were.
Wednesday Sept 15
I managed to get packed, my tomatoes froze, & my mind wrapped around the idea that I really did not have to do all the misc things that were needing done at home. My mom is there caring for the two youngest (the two older M & M's are with their older sister)
I know mom is capable of folding the clean clothes, emptying the dishwasher, sweeping the floor....I really did walk out of the house on my own, and did not have to be carried, kicking or screaming. That is not to say that I wasn't a total wreck of nerves. I was!
We left home at 6:30 in the a.m. to Omaha where I flew out of at 10, arriving in Chicago around noon.
I was so pleased to have Rob (Ruth's husband) meet me when I got off the plane. I would have hated to try to make my way around that airport alone. We went down to the baggage claim area where Ruth was waiting for me. My flight to Chicago was un-eventful, but my nerves from being away from home really did not calm down until I was with Ruth, and reality really set in!
We had several hours to wait until our plane loaded, direct from Chicago to Stockhom Sweden. Although I have flown quite a few times, and on different airlines, but I have never been on a plane of that size!
It had 3"rooms" and the area we were in two seats on each side of the plane, then a row of 4 across the middle where our seats were.
Ruth and I in the airport in Chicago
Ruth and her husband Rob--and a HUGE thanks again to him for "letting" his wife travel with me!!
The Airplane we flew on
Inside--in the area we were sitting in
Ruth at our seats
Me at our seats
I had very little sleep on Tuesday night at home before I left. I still had things to do to get ready, so didn't get to bed until quite late, but then it was storming out and I couldn't sleep well. I probably barely got 2 hours. Not so great I know....but that's the way it was. I napped some from Omaha to Chicago.
We finally took off from the ground about 5 p.m. in Chicago, and it was scheduled to be a 8 hour flight.
After a good supper that was served us, along with drinks & doing some reading & snacks, we did try to sleep. It of course was rather crowded & certinally not very conducive to resting (lights, talking & small space) I probably managed another 2 hours of snoozing off and on.
It was about 11 p.m. our time (6 a.m. current plane time) when the lights came on and it was announced that breakfast would be served soon. There was sunlight starting to come in the plane windows, so I stretched, woke up, washed my face with the hot rags they passed out and convinced myself "It's morning....Time to wake up"!
We enjoyed a small breakfast, hot tea, and a cup of strong coffee before preparing to land in Stockholm, and the excitement really starts! We're ready to see Laura!
We land accross the water
Thursday a.m.
Our plane landed at 7:55 a.m. We were near the back of the plane and it took considerable time to get everyone in front of us out of the way and we finally luggage in hand made our way to the front and off the plane, down the long halls into the Stockholm terminal and thru customs (with no problems), thru security doors, down more hallways to the baggage claim where we were quite happy to see our suitcases arrive safely, down another hallway....
Our plane landed at 7:55 a.m. We were near the back of the plane and it took considerable time to get everyone in front of us out of the way and we finally luggage in hand made our way to the front and off the plane, down the long halls into the Stockholm terminal and thru customs (with no problems), thru security doors, down more hallways to the baggage claim where we were quite happy to see our suitcases arrive safely, down another hallway....
and there was Laura waiting around the corner! (flowers in hand as a welcome for each of us!)
Out into the cloudy damp day
To a very lovely mini van that we felt right at home in....
Off down the "interstate" towards our friends the Skallebergs
And the sun came out and it's all sparkly & bright with a rainbow in the distance!
Thursday-Day 1 in Stockholm
The capitol of Sweden and home to the Royal family.
If I could manage to keep notes on what we're doing as I go, I'd be better off. I realize that I already am having a problem remembering what we did on Thursday afternoon, and this is only Saturday evening. If I don't keep this journal updated often, I will get back home and everything will be a total blur! It's always rather strange to look at Laura's blog (where she has the time difference posted) or talk to her on the phone and realize the time difference between us when I'm home, but it's even stranger to be on this side of the water and look at my computer and see that it's still middle of the afternoon at home when it's bedtime here!
We're having a lovely time of course, and our days have been very full. Sleep has not been too much of a priority, although we've been tired enough at the end of the day to thoroughly enjoy a good solid nights sleep. I would imagine all the walking we're doing has something to do with that--I wish I had an idea how many miles we've walked in the last 2 days--on Friday we were out and about for 7 hours, and alot of that was on our feet!
I wake up here about 6 a.m. just like I do at home. and the time difference didn't affect me a whole lot after coming over. I'm guessing when I get home I'll probably crash for several days!
I'll continue with my journal back to-
Thursday afternoon
After leaving the airport we came to Obbe & Patty S's here in Stockholm where Patty had breakfast ready for us! Patty is from Idaho, but has lived here since marrying Obbe almost 27 years ago. We checked/wrote our mail and by then we were pretty tired & enjoyed a 2 hour nap before we set of to do a bit of sight seeing & shopping.
The grounds/conv. building
This family owns a greenhouse/nursery business. Here in Stockholm it is cooler than at home (at least when I left) and it is just barely starting to show some changing of color in the leaves/foliage However the big difference that I notice is that the grass is still very green and the flowers all are blooming pretty much like summer at home.
We had a late lunch at a food court & then walked around the shopping center to see the sights.
well, that is we did after we made a stop to fortify ourselves with a latte! No problem with taking care of Ruth's & my coffee addiction.....we've discovered they have all sorts of coffee shops on every corner and a few in between!
We learned very quickly that in this city there are three basic modes of transportation....Your feet, your bicycle or the train! My future photos will give more proof to this!
The open air market, with delicious looking fresh produce. See the mushrooms in the lower picture?
The other thing we discovered very quickly is that the clouds roll in and the weather changes very quickly without notice. All of a sudden it's raining. No one here seems affected by it in the least. We saw children dressed in darling little rain outfits. The umbrellas come out, the babies in their buggys get covered up and the people keep right on with their walking.
Coming next--Our cabin by the sea, and Fridays excursion into Stockholm by train, old town & Junibacken, a museum about the books by Astrid Lindgren(Pippi Longstocking).
Hope you all have a good night & wonderful Sunday tomorrow. We will be gathering here at the home where we're staying and looking forward to meeting some more of the friends here.
Ruth has been very good at getting names & keeping track of where we've been & what we've done, so maybe I can keep things straight after all *smile*!
Thank you all for your greetings & comments--it's fun to share our journey with you.
If I could manage to keep notes on what we're doing as I go, I'd be better off. I realize that I already am having a problem remembering what we did on Thursday afternoon, and this is only Saturday evening. If I don't keep this journal updated often, I will get back home and everything will be a total blur! It's always rather strange to look at Laura's blog (where she has the time difference posted) or talk to her on the phone and realize the time difference between us when I'm home, but it's even stranger to be on this side of the water and look at my computer and see that it's still middle of the afternoon at home when it's bedtime here!
We're having a lovely time of course, and our days have been very full. Sleep has not been too much of a priority, although we've been tired enough at the end of the day to thoroughly enjoy a good solid nights sleep. I would imagine all the walking we're doing has something to do with that--I wish I had an idea how many miles we've walked in the last 2 days--on Friday we were out and about for 7 hours, and alot of that was on our feet!
I wake up here about 6 a.m. just like I do at home. and the time difference didn't affect me a whole lot after coming over. I'm guessing when I get home I'll probably crash for several days!
I'll continue with my journal back to-
Thursday afternoon
After leaving the airport we came to Obbe & Patty S's here in Stockholm where Patty had breakfast ready for us! Patty is from Idaho, but has lived here since marrying Obbe almost 27 years ago. We checked/wrote our mail and by then we were pretty tired & enjoyed a 2 hour nap before we set of to do a bit of sight seeing & shopping.
We finished our trip to the square with a quick trip to the grocery store, wanting to pick up a few things as we were heading out to a cabin that the family owns about 15 miles from here.
I was quite interested to see pear jam on the shelves of the store! Although I make pear jam at home, and it's one of our favorites, I don't believe I've ever seen it in the grocery stores that I frequent.
Coming next--Our cabin by the sea, and Fridays excursion into Stockholm by train, old town & Junibacken, a museum about the books by Astrid Lindgren(Pippi Longstocking).
Hope you all have a good night & wonderful Sunday tomorrow. We will be gathering here at the home where we're staying and looking forward to meeting some more of the friends here.
Ruth has been very good at getting names & keeping track of where we've been & what we've done, so maybe I can keep things straight after all *smile*!
Thank you all for your greetings & comments--it's fun to share our journey with you.
Friday--Day 2
Thursday night (and Friday night) we spent at a cabin owned by the family here. We had the place to ourselves, and it was delightful. Surrounded by trees with a view of the Baltic Sea out one side of the house (I have NO idea of my directions here!!)
A little trivia for you here...Stockholm is made up of 14 different islands, so we are pretty much surrounded by water no matter where we go!
We left our delighful quiet retreat on Friday morning, heading into the train station. Our destination was Old Town, and Junibacken, a museum about the author of books by Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking)
The train stop where we got on/off
View from the window-
Our destination-
Scenes from along the way
A little trivia for you here...Stockholm is made up of 14 different islands, so we are pretty much surrounded by water no matter where we go!
The view looking out at the station from the inside-
Inside view at the station-
Very important--The internet area.... lol! (no, I did NOT haul my computer around town with me!)
From a bridge looking down--see all the bicycles on the right?
It started raining, as we were heading towards our desination and we decided we would take the opportunity to go and eat since we had forgot our umbrellas. The street we were on was lined with restraunts & coffee/dessert shops to choose from, inside and out.
Lucky for us even tho it did rain several times during the day it was pretty short lived each time and we did not get soaked as we were out for 7 hours!
Oh yes....Good Chinese buffet *smile*!
Friday afternoon--continued later.
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