Leaving home and husband!

I'm a homebody!  

I love pottering around in my little 

cottage home and garden.

Yes, you may be laughing and thinking, sure, but she's always off somewhere else!

True lately. Although I crossed the pond when heading home a lot over the past fifty years, and have visited every US state, Mexico, and much of Canada, I was never an 'adventurer' taking off on expedition type trips to the far reaches of the planet.

Actually this is really a post about my nearest and dearest, Bob my husband.

Bob had always travelled much more than me. He saw most of Europe in the sixties when drafted into the US Army and stationed in Germany just before we married. When he returned to his job here he travelled often for business in the US and Canada, also in the UK. Sometimes he went back to the UK with me to visit my family and friends, and we managed some trips to my family now living in France. He took me to Italy when I longed to see Tuscany.

At Sea ~ on the Queen Elizabeth heading to Mumbai, India ~ 2012

Bob has a gigantic map of the world on the wall of his office upstairs! There are dozens of colored push pins stuck in it, all places HE has visited! He likes to show it off ~ well he did until Paula started inviting me to travel with her two years ago!  Now we have this ongoing discussion about two maps (no way, they take up too much wall space), or each choose one color pin and stick them in the same old map. I might just beat him one of these days! I'm going to choose blue push pins - I'll let you know when there are more of those than the color he chooses.

 Non-alcoholic fruity aperitif served before afternoon tea on level 122 of the Burj Khalifa, Dubai ~ 2012

This year has also been a great travel year for Bob. He's come along with us, seen the same amazing countries, enjoying everything, and shares vivid memories of wild and crazy things we've done such as ziplining in Hawaii, afternoon tea high in Dubai, riding elephants in Botswana, and standing on the edge of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe! He isn't coming to Australia with us next week - this one is just we two old friends adventuring forth again while still able.  

Just wanted Bob to know how grateful I am that he pushes me out the door, spins me around, points me west in Paula's direction (she lives in California), and tells me to go and have a fabulous adventure with my best friend. He'll eat out, launder the towels, iron his own shirts, and shop for necessities! 

Thanks dear - I'll be missing you but before you know it, 
I'll be home again.