Gimme 5 June 2013

I can’t even BEGIN to remember the last time I did one of these. I was trolling through my files, looking for something to write about today, and came across this section. The one I’ve chosen is:

5 Things you’d do if money were no object. The general answer is “travel”, but the specifics are as follows, in no particular order…

1. Visit my brother in Indiana. Marv and I went there a few years ago and stayed for almost a week. That’s just not enough time to really explore that beautiful state. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE spending time with my bro and his family.

2. Visit my penpal in England. Carol and I started as penpals almost 14 years ago, and graduated to email, Instant Messenger and now chatting on Facebook. She and I are so alike in our thoughts and heart and have many similar family circumstances. And at heart I am such an Anglophile! Always have been. While in England, I would then stop by and see my newly-found friend Jane. We met on Facebook and I think we would have a pretty good time together in person.

3. Visit my erstwhile penpal in Australia. Lynette and I also started as penpals 13 years ago and graduated to email. Then life stepped in, things changed for both of us, and I’m sad to say that we are now only in each other’s news streams on Facebook. I would still like to meet her in person. And Australia is a fascinating country.

4. Visit my penpal in Arizona. Harriette has been my penpal as long as Lynette has. We have shared many sorrows of the heart together. We mainly communicate by email and Facebook. We don’t talk a lot to each other, but we both know that we are in each others thoughts and prayers continually.

5. Visit my “new” friend in Germany. Unlike my penpals, who are all around my age, Svenja is very young; the same age as Sarah. I met her a couple of years ago through another young woman I’d connected with on Facebook. Sadly, the circumstances weren’t the best; Svenja contacted me when the other woman, Valerie (her cousin) fell ill and eventually died. Since then, Svenja and I have kept up contact as much as a 9 hour time difference allows. She is fully fluent in English, so I know I would be able to have a good time in Germany with her as my guide and interpreter.

As I look back over these 5 visits, I find that I actually DID put them in a kind of order. From longest association to newest. Didn’t even try…

And of course, any trip wouldn’t be to only VISIT….

I MUST SHOP ALSO!

So that’s a chunk of change indeed.

Wardrobe (you didn’t expect me to wear THESE old clothes, did you?)

Plane fare (FIRST CLASS! LEG ROOM! FREE HEADPHONES FOR THE MOVIE!)

Shopping money…’nuf said…

Shipping money (can’t carry ALL of it back in my luggage!)

I know I could bunk down at my brother’s place, but for the rest: FANCY HOTEL! Toy drinks in the mini bar! Room service!! MINTS ON THE PILLOWS, FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!

Sounds fun, eh? Wanna join me?