The beginning of another adventure

I feel like I'm heading off on an adventure - I'm going to Atlanta to visit a dear friend and then to Jacksonville to visit my "Mom." "Mom" is actually my ex mother-in-law. Although I've only seen her a few times since our divorce, I feel like she's family. I always say I got her and her daughter in the divorce.

Her daughter passed away in August at the age of 52. She fought cancer for the past 5 years and finally succumbed. She did not go out without a fight. So, once again, "Mom" is alone and picking up the pieces after losing a loved one to cancer. My ex father-in-law died of colon/liver cancer at about the same age. My daughter worry about her and hope we can talk her into moving here, where she has family who would love to have her around.

This is the first time I've traveled alone for pleasure. I flew to Chicago last year for training, but I was only there 3 days and didn't get much of a chance to explore.

I signed up for the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards program so I could earn as I go. I printed out my card and had it laminated in our print shop. I was so excited about it that my coworker double laminated it. It looks so official!

This is the beginning. This is my first opportunity to travel and blog about it. This is what I want to do while I'm retired. When I was in Chicago, I wrote about everything that happened, but it was so dry and boring that I never actually put it in the blog.

While I was working on the house, I practiced blogging, and the response was positive, so here goes.

My flight leaves tomorrow at 12:55, and I have yet to pull a suitcase down to pack. The clothes are picked out, coordinated, and hanging in a closet. My night clothes and undies are folded neatly, my shoes are picked out, and I've sorted through my make up. I have some gifts and food to pack, and I'm done.

I was hoping to buy a camera before I left because I dropped my Canon SureShot last spring while cleaning out my garage, and now it goes through batteries like crazy. They only last about 30 minutes. The camera I want costs $170, and I'd rather spend the money on having fun!! Maybe I'll tell Santa what I want for Christmas, and in the meantime, I'll use my phone.

Well, my suitcases aren't going to pack themselves . . .