Ski-vaca

I mentioned last week that my parents demanded our dogs for the weekend. So off we went to the Paoli/French Lick, Indiana area. There is skiing, lodges and just an enormous lake. While we didn’t play on the lake, we did stay on it. The view from the cabin was really nice.

View from our cabin

We left the ski lodge and were off to Paoli Peaks to ski on Saturday. Let’s be honest, I DO NOT ski. The sewing machine made the trip with us. Yes, I was planning to sew at the ski lodge. I had packed a number of projects to just play and create. I have lots of customs due soon, but I needed to just play.

Here is the hubby and friends ready to hit the slopes.

I sat myself in front of a window to monitor the action. Here is what I worked on…lots of 2″ squares I had cut the week before.

sorted and ready to be paired again.
Yes I ironed while in the lodge as well.
I had to make 2 stacks.

The fabric is Floragraphix from a couple of years ago. I had determined to get through my stash this year.

It was a great weekend complete with my first time ever doing karaoke. I was told it wasn’t bad. Good thing most people in the bar were intoxicated, singing is not a specialty of mine.

 

A week with the ponies.

Vacations around our house are generally built around seeing family and friends. Lucky for us, we have people all over to go and visit. Hubby grew up near Albany, NY and a summer tradition has always been going to Saratoga for horse racing. His friend has sat in the same spot for over 15 years, talk about dedication.

A day at the track is just that, a full day. We bring food, drinks and of course I brough my own entertainment. Yes, I was hand embroidering while watching horse racing. It definitely get me calm and focused, helping my betting strategy.

During the down times I did take some pictures for my grandma. She has a love of horses and would always bet on the gray horse. Isn’t the best strategy, but works for her. I went to visit her on Friday to deliver the pictures. She was too tired and slept the entire time I was there. Broke my heart, but she’s almost 98, so it’s expected.

just beautiful

The week started off slow and lots of embroidery was done since I was not on my betting game. The last day at the track was a big one. We made up for the entire week’s loss in about 3 races. Too bad we had to leave the next day. Since then, my friend has recommended a few ways to find the best professional horse racing tips. If you’re really not sure where to begin, it can sometimes be useful to ask the experts.

hot walking before a race

Hubby found some wonderful prints that will hang in the basement once finished. Overall it was a great week at THE SPA. Can’t wait to return hopefully next summer.

have to carefully read over the program

Coming later this week…antiquing in upstate NY.

Delayed Honeymoon

Hubby and I had quite the hectic spring around our wedding. Buying a house, moving, and starting new jobs left little time to take a honeymoon. We thought about Europe in the spring of 2011, but that was out of our reach for now.

What should we do instead? Hubby suggested a cruise since neither of us had been on one in the past. Great book it! He found a great rate on a weekend that worked with our schedule. Got the passports ready and we were off. We had heard good things about Turks and Caicos villas so that was a consideration – https://www.exceptionalvillas.com/turks-and-caicos

Tile Wall in Key West

Flight to the cruise delayed, but we had time. Arrived in Miami to cold. Seriously, people were wrapped in blankets near the cruise ship. We get in line and start the boarding process. Something doesn’t seem right. Hubby notices a couple of people wearing Backstreet Boys shirts. Hmm, odd, they were popular 10 years ago. Then it hits us, there were LOTS of women wearing BSB shirts. What is going on?

Sourthernmost Point

We spoke to the woman behind us. She asked if we were here for the Backstreet Boys cruise. Rob and I looked at each other in horror. She then proceeded to tell us how she had traveled over 3,000 miles by herself to be on this cruise. She was ELATED. I sent out an SOS on Facebook to our friends.

This includes four days of being on a ship in the ocean with crazed fans who have traveled from all over the world for a chance encounter with the pop stars. Impressive clout you have there BSB. Tons of women, their moms and their friends gathered together to celebrate their admiration of Backstreet Boys. The room across the hall from us had an old discman hung up blaring BSB cds 24/7 to help them win the door decorating contest.

Sunset in Cozumel

What did this mean for our trip? We had lots of things to do without extra people, they had their own events. We basically did nothing and it was wonderful. There were no Backstreet Boys sightings by us. We met a few other couples that were just as surprised about the special guests on our cruise as us.

However I do have these lovely photos from Key West and Cozumel to share. Very inspirational. One of my friends has used a photo for a project that she is working on.

Ocean from the back of the boat

What can I make from these photos?

We go back to Key West in the Spring for a friend’s wedding, can’t wait to see what else I find. My hubby absolutely loves fishing, so we might book a place on one of the many FKF Fishing Charters too. Roll on the Spring!

Update in March 2017

This is by far one of my favorite stories to share with people. It’s a great random factoid. People laugh and laugh at the story.

Crazy thing they are experiencing another resurgence.