Some Pics from Vacation

From The Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA

Cabo San Lucas

Look! it's Gill (Finding Nemo)

What We Did on Our Summer Vacation ~` Days 7 - 10

 

I know I know, finally. The vacation was only six months ago ~rolling my eyes at myself~

Day 7 ~~ Puerta Vallarta

DH decided to be civil, so after breakfast we took a taxi into the older area of town. Our youngest still wasn't feeling well and seemed slightly feverish, but we wanted to get her off the ship for a while. We spent a couple of hours just strolling along the waterfront, enjoying the artwork and window shopping. It was hot and humid, and with YC getting crankier by the moment, we decided to hire a cab to drive us around a bit so we could see a little bit more of the area before taking us back to the ship. After getting the kids settled, DH and I headed back into town for some lunch and shopping.

Later, YC had dinner in my cabin with me and watched TV while snuggling with me. While she still wasn't feeling any better, she didn't want to go to the doctor and I didn't want to push it. So I stayed in with her while once again DH headed out.

Day 8 ~~ Sea Day

About 9a.m. we were awakened by another missing person announcement from the captain. Half an hour later, another announcement ~ still not found. 10a.m. as we were going into breakfast, yet another announcement. We can see that the ship has started to turn; the captain is getting ready to retrace our route back towards Puerta Vallarta, back to where this person was last seen. Not ten minutes later, there is another announcement - this person has finally contacted the captain, all is apparently well, the ship turns back on course.

YC is still feverish and not feeling well, so after breakfast, DH and I take her to the ship's doctor. She had an upper respiratory infection and ear infection. They prescribed antibiotics, decongestant and pain/fever reducer. They don't take insurance directly, so the $200 was charged to our ship account. Insane that a 10 minute meeting and those few meds would cost that much.

I spent most of the day relaxing with YC. DH kept to himself, especially after he and the boy got into a screaming match. Spent some time watching TV with the kids before heading to dinner. YC was definitely feeling better and eating. After dinner, I gave her the medicine and tucked her into bed. The two older kids headed out to the pool and I went to adult only hot tub in the solarium. I stayed there for awhile as the heat felt really good on my aching back. When I went back to the cabin, DH was heading out. I didn't want to go out drinking and partying. After awhile, I headed out to the Promenade to have a cup of tea and read. When it got too noisy I left, hoping to find someplace else quiet and comfortable, but there was loud music and people everywhere. I did see DH in one of the clubs but decided not to join him -- after so many stressed filled days, I really didn't feel like spending time with him, and I also was not in the mood for loud crowds. I was in bed just after 1a.m. DH called to try to get me to join him. When I didn't, he stayed out 'til 3a.m.

Day 9 ~~ Sea Day

Went to breakfast with the kids - DH joined us later. Everyone was civil.

Cold, grey, cloudy day. Too cold to hang around outside. Left kids to their own devices while DH and I checked our bill with the service desk and got copies of the medical records. Bill, not including medical charges, was over $600. DH wanted to know what the kids and I had spent so much money on: $20 in the video arcade, $4 for a coffee, $10 for a mojito and tip. That was all I spent money on ~~ it was all his trips to the bars, the cigar lounge, coffees, etc. But he didn't want to believe it, even though it was all there in black and white detail. He didn't push it. He did finally buy me an anniversary present -- a very nice Guess watch with a paisley design on the face.

We all ate dinner together. I really wanted to look for more marine life, but it was just too cold to stay outside. When I got back to the cabin, DH was working on the packing. I checked on the kids to make sure they were getting all their things found and packed, too. The cruise ship line did not pay attention to what I filled out on our disembarkation form and assigned us to the 10:30a.m. group -- our flight was at 12:30 -- so we were going to have to take all our luggage off ourselves. There was no staying up late or going out, just one last stroll along the promenade and around the decks before heading to bed. We would be docked early in the morning and wanted to be off the ship before 9a.m. At least DH was finally being civil and nice.

Day 10 ~~ Vacation is over

We got up, had breakfast, and got off the ship without too much trouble. We did have an issue with the cab driver who wanted to be paid in cash even though the company took credit cards. Finally DH told him to call another driver for us -- he decided he'd rather take our credit than have a problem. 

We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Then there was a delay -- weather between California and home. We had some snacks, played games, and finally boarded and headed home. I really like flying first class :-)  YC was almost 100% back to normal, but I made sure she took decongestant and pain reliever before flying and then shortly before landing to help with any pressure change pain. 

Animals all seemed glad to see us. Home was still standing and everything was as we left it. Nothing to do but unpack and settle in. It was going to be back to work for DH and me in just a day.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So, there it is. Our 2010 summer family vacation. Kids and I actually had a pretty good time, spent a lot of time with each other, and when we needed alone time, we took it. I think the only person who didn't have a good time was DH and he did that to himself. 

We had fun seeing all the different sea life -- whales, dolphins, sea lions, flying fish, turtles, fish and rays in Cabo. Cabo was beautiful in a sere harsh environment way -- I wouldn't mind going there again. I enjoyed the architecture and sculptures along the waterfront in Puerto Vallarta (a few months later, when SyFy showed Sharktopus, I recognized many of the sites in Puerto Vallarta).

 

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Hey Everyone (or anyone who's still popping in here) ~~

We're back!

yeah :|

Back to work, kids, housework, cold wintry weather...

Well, at least I still have a job ~~ although things are not all hunky dory on the work front ~~ another drastic pay cut, supposedly temporary.... yuk.

Anyway...

Saw lots of beautiful places, met lots of nice people, took lots of pictures (somewhere around 800). It's going to take a while to go through all the pics (edit, compress, caption, etc.) and get our adventures written down, so to tide things over, here's a pic of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. Enjoy.

We've Made it Safely to NZ

Sitting in our hotel room in warm, humid, rainy Auckland. Loving the warmth ~~ the humidity, yeah, not so much :)
But I understand the rain is very welcome as they've had a fairly hot, dry summer. They haven't experienced the wildfires like Australia, but the fire danger is still extremely high along the east coast of both the North and South Islands.

What little I've seen of Auckland is beautiful ~~ it's very lush here. Lots of trees, bushes, flowers everywhere. The view from the plane as we flew in yesterday was gorgeous ~~ green everywhere, rolling hills, beaches and seashore...

Our hotel is right across the street from the University and a beautiful park. We've done a bit of walking about, yesterday and today, down the hill, through the Chancery and along nearby streets, windowshopping and just enjoying the area.

With all the overcast, we're not seeing much of the surrounding area...

It's odd when we call home ~~ It's Tuesday morning here and Monday afternoon there. Kids are doing ok with Grandma... so far :P

Anyway, we'll be heading off to the ship shortly, so I've got to get everything packed up and tagged properly.

Hope to be able to post more from the ship.

Just a brief check in...

before we head off on our vacation. I can't wait to be warm. I am so excited to see New Zealand and Australia. I've always wanted to. I realize going on a cruise means I'll get just a teeny tiny taste of what they're like, but it's better than not going at all. And it will be warm! I am so tired of subfreezing temps....

We head out at noon on Saturday and don't get back 'til the 22nd. Not sure how much online access I'll get ~~ we'll be at sea most of the time and Internet access on the ship is not cheap.

So, if I can, I'll post. If not, well, I'll try to get some things written so when we get back I'll have stuff to post.

Happy Happy New Year!

Hi Everyone. Good morning and Happy New Year! Hope you welcomed the new year in just the way you wanted.

Things have been pretty quiet around here. We survived spending five l-o-n-g days together as a family over Christmas -- we're not used to spending so much time with each other. Then back to work for a few days, and now another four days together.

DH and I went out last night. No big New Year's party, just one of the places we like to go, a pub/restaurant with good food and good drinks. And because they don't have a New Year's special, it was not very crowded or noisy. It was really pleasant. We ate, had a couple of drinks, chatted with people, and counted down to midnight. DH kissed my soundly and got a few breast squeezes in too :D

I had planned for some 'outrageous' fun last night, but truthfully, I was too tired after working all day, shopping, and taking care of the kids before we went out. I get a daily horoscope for couples and this is what it said for yesterday:

You and your honey can look forward to sharing a lot of adventures in the coming year. Get yourself off on the right foot by trying something a little bit outrageous tonight.

At the store I bought whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce (DH's favorite) and ice cream (DH likes Ben and Jerry's Karamel Sutra -- ok, I like it too). I was thinking we could get a neat sheet out in our bedroom and have some food fun. But by the time we got home, it was just going to be too much. Maybe tonight or tomorrow or Saturday...

Not that we didn't have fun last night... We snuggled and touched and kissed. I went down on DH, sucking and licking and nibbling while he wrapped his fist in my hair. Then he went down on me, telling me I 'had' to come from his tongue -- something I find difficult to do. But I did it :D And it didn't take too long, either. Felt so so good. Then some more attention to DH, this time kneeling in front of him.

Before too long, DH had me kneeling on the bed and he quickly entered and thrusted hard and fast bringing me to orgasm. Then he moved me onto my side, with one leg raised -- I came again. Now on my back for a bit, 'til DH wanted me back on all fours for anal.

Oh. My. God. He just moved slowly and gently back and forth, then stood still while I did the movement -- I can't move myself fast enough or hard enough to come, but it kept me right on the edge for what seemed like forever. I kept my face buried in the pillow, fists clenching blankets and pillows as the feelings just built and built and hovered right there at the incredibly exquisite point -- you know the one, where you're so so very close that the slightest movement harder and/or faster is all it will take to tip you over the edge. I could feel the pressure building in my pussy...

The whole time DH is telling me how much he loves my ass, loves to fuck it, that he'll fuck me all night 'til dawn if that's what I want... Then he's telling me to say how much I love his cock and being fucked by him --- I can hardly breathe and think, the sensations are so all consuming, let alone string words together in coherent sentences, but I apparently managed to get enough words out to please him. Finally, he gave a few hard fast thrusts and I was able to orgasm, screaming into the pillow. Then back to the slow and steady movements, guiding me back and forth with his hands on my hips. With the pressure lessened, I could now finally say all the things he wanted to hear me say. I don't know how long this went on, but eventually I had to beg him to just fuck me hard and come. He questioned this, saying he could go on much longer. I just couldn't -- my hips and legs were feeling the strain and the pain was starting to overwhelm the pleasure. So he did, and I did, again, then just collapsed on the bed.

After clean up and some water (staying on the edge for so long, then having multiple screaming orgasms tends to leave me pretty parched), we snuggled some more, holding hands and talking a bit before drifting off to sleep.

********************************************************************

So, our new year appears to be off to a good start :D

Right now, while I'm writing here, DH is finalizing our vacation itinerary, arranging all our flights. This year we're going Down Under, going on a 12 day cruise around New Zealand then across to Australia, from Tasmania up to Sydney. I'm excited. Neither of us has ever been, but we've always wanted to. And since it will be February and bitterly cold here, the warmer weather will be so very very nice.

One of the biggest benefits of DH's travel for work (besides the fun 'welcome home' activities I often plan for him) is all the mileage he collects. He earns over 100,000 miles a year and gets free upgrades. Using the mileage for our trips really reduces the cost of these vacations -- couldn't do all this otherwise. My mom is coming out to watch the kids for us -- DH has arranged for her to fly here and back in first class ($5 per flight). I don't think she's ever flown first class in her life. I'm looking forward to enjoying first class myself for at least one leg of the trip (we fly from here to San Francisco, then to Sydney, then to Auckland; coming back it's Sydney to San Francisco, then to home).

**************************************************************

So, there's a bit of news. Now I'm off to fix some food -- as soon as the Rose Parade is over :D

Done a little work...

Changed some things around over in the sidebar. Still needs tweaking, but I can only do so much at a time.

I've got some books on HTML and web/blog design. At some point I'll have to pull them out and try out a few things. I'm pretty good at reverse engineering from existing code -- not much experience with starting from scratch. And I may not be IT, but everyone in my facility comes to me first when they have a computer issue, and most of the time I can figure it out without involving the helpdesk. So some ability there.

Still haven't tackled DH's 'special assignment.' Been getting home a little later than I should the last couple of nights, then I spend time with the kids watching holiday shows (keeping everyone up later than I should), and finally a little time on the computer and it's way too late to stay up to review porn.

DH wanted to get me an iPhone for my birthday. I talked him out of it. Not that I wouldn't like to have one, but it's a little out of the budget right now. My mandatory pay cut is really hurting us. We were talking about planning a trip early next year, most likely to Australia/New Zealand, but we've even put those plans on hold. DH's parents are supposed to visit and I'm hoping we can get away for a night or two in a hotel in the city. If things turn around, then we can always take a trip later in the year. And this year is a DH and me only trip. I look forward to getting away without the kids.

So, uneventful normal day.

Sooooo...

... back home, back at work, DH travelling... yep, things are back to normal.

Work's hectic -- lots of lay offs, including my boss. Am really hoping it doesn't reach down to my level. Unlikely, but you never know. The company is struggling and the best way to quickly save money is to let people go. However, I am the only one in my department and the only person in the whole company who does exactly what I do -- so I think they'd be struggling a bit if they got rid of me abruptly. I'm still keeping my fingers and toes crossed :D

Kids are fine. They say they missed me... hmmmm. Maybe. Looking forward to the upcoming holidays. Although everything is going to be low key this year -- losing 15% of my income for 3 months is really hurting.

DH and I got to spend one whole day together -- Sunday -- and then he was off again. Of course, I was sick and miserable and it was that time of the month, so nothing of any real excitement happened. Although DH was happy that my "magic hands" were home -- and I used them :D. I'm hoping he's not too worn out this weekend -- he gets home Saturday night and I really need quality US time. In fact, I've been making sure all the candles are good, burning out the dust that accumulated in the electric fireplace, and cleaning out the whirlpool tub in the hopes that tomorrow night or Sunday I can entice him into some lovin'.

Oh, and where did I go with my sibs? We went to Aspen, Colorado. I really like Aspen. We went 4 years ago, right after Dad died, stayed at the St. Regis and just really enjoyed the area. We went a little bit later this year, so Independence Pass was closed. But there really wasn't that much snow on the ground, and the beautiful weather while we were there reduced it even further. We went to Glenwood Springs -- hiked up a hill to see where Doc Holliday is buried and took a tour of the Glenwood Caverns. Even went back a second day to go on some of the rides up at the caverns. Really had a fun time. Here's a picture of the view from my room.

Some things were difficult about the trip -- I really didn't feel like I could be myself. I do not share the same religious or political beliefs as my siblings. And religion and politics were frequent topics of discussion. I just listened, not wanting to open a can of worms. And then trying to get a little posting, etc. done -- angling the computer so it would be less obvious what I was doing. Oh, and hiding my tattoo under a t-shirt when we went to the spa and sat in the hot tub and pool. It would have ended up as 3 against 1 and I just wasn't up to it. Did share with my sister what happened between DH and me back in February. I had never told any of my family about it -- nothing any of them could of done and it just would have increased stress levels when dealing with them.

We're supposed to get together annually. Three years ago we went to the Eagle/Vail area and just didn't like it as much. I'm hoping next time we get together there are ocean and beaches involved. After all those years of living on the West Coast, actually near the coast, I'm more than ready for a beach vacation. We'll see. We try to find places where no one of us has to travel a lot more than any other -- and we all live in different states.

Other stuff -- since Blogrolling isn't working, I've switched to the Blogger blog listing. I know there's a lot there, but with the help of iGoogle and the Google Reader, I really am able to keep up with them all. I'm following Greenwoman's advice, starring the ones I want to reread and/or comment on. I'm hit and miss with Twittering, but I am following more Twitters and enjoying it.

Tomorrow I need to clean up in the bedroom, shower, shave and just have everything all nice for DH when he gets home. He called me "honey" twice on the phone today -- he doesn't do pet names often, so I'm hoping it means he misses me.

Hope to post some more tomorrow... We'll see :)

Aaaachoooo!

Yep, that's right, I'm on vacation and I'm sick.

I don't think I ever fully got over the cold or whatever it was that I had during physical. Then there was the travelling on Wednesday, and yesterday we went out and definitely overexerted ourselves. We are at a high altitude here, and what did we do yesterday -- hiked up a hill to see a historical cemetery and then went on a cave tour where we had to climb up over 100 steps to get out of the cave. Lots and lots of labored breathing. I live basically at sea-level so this has been tough. The labored breathing pulled muscles in my back.

Oh, and to top it off, I've hardly slept. I cannot get comfortable enough to sleep through the night, and when I woke up too early this morning I couldn't get back to sleep because congestion that had come on during the night made it impossible to breathe through my nose. And I have a really hard time falling asleep while breathing through my mouth.

Managed to drag my sorry ass out of bed, determined I was getting a sinus infection, took the cold medicine I brought (I always travel as prepared as possible) then joined my sibs downstairs for breakfast before heading out again for the day. Went back to the cave area and went on a coaster ride -- too fun. Then headed back to the hotel for massages, oxygen, jacuzzi and pool time. We are all just wiped out. After the spa, a quiet dinner, then I holed up in our room while everyone else went for a walk -- just not feeling well enough. When they came back, I joined them at a firepit for s'mores and hot cider. It's been a pretty relaxing day -- just wish I felt better.

And, I don't know if it's the altitude or the congestion, but my benign positional vertigo seems to have returned as well. I really don't like feeling dizzy at every movement. Plus it has turned into that time of the month. I'm just a walking mess right now.

Besides the illness and lack of sleep, we've been having a good time. The weather has been gorgeous -- although I think all of us would have liked a little more snow. Tomorrow, a little shopping in the morning, lunch at an awarding winning bbq restaurant then 1st airport of the day. I won't get home until after 9pm tomorrow night. DH plans to pick me up. Maybe while shopping I'll find a new implement to take home... hmmmm :)

Sunday will be a rest and recuperate day. Hope I can get past this cold before work on Monday.

Took lots of pictures -- maybe I'll get some posted here or over on my other blog.

Sea Day

Since we are STILL having internet issues, I am sitting in the public library trying to get some posting done. I've tried everyday from home and everytime I try to do anything beyond the simple read a website, our connection crashes. We got a new modem but it looks like we also need a new router. DH is in Germany this week, so it'll probably be the weekend before we can get this resolved (I can buy the router, but I really don't know how to set it up and worry that I might make things worse). It's so frustrating!!!!

Other than that work is fine, weather is gorgeous, and school's almost out.

Took it easy, slept in until 10 am, missing breakfast. Checked my backside in the mirror; there were a few marks from the crop last night (no surprise).

We all had lunch together. YC’s mantra during the whole meal was basically, “swimming, swimming, swimming” so once we finished eating, we decided to give in. The weather was perfect – sunny and warm. Not too many people were out at the pool yet, so we were able to find enough lounges altogether. While DH and the kids played in the pool, I relaxed while reading and writing and resting. For a few hours.

And of course I ended up with a little sunburn – I’m so fair, no matter how much sun block I use, it’s pretty much inevitable. DH and the kids just tan.

Eventually, we’d had enough and went in.

YC wanted to spend some time in the kids’ area, so we dropped her off up there, picking her up later for dinner. She made a ‘magic’ wand, painted and covered in glitter. DH looked at it, swished it around, got that twinkle in his eye and made some comment about maybe he could try the wand on me. (never did happen – thank goodness).

Once we were sure the kids were settled in for the night, DH and I headed back up to the lounge. It was 70’s night and members of the crew put on a show as ABBA and the Village People – it’s a lot of fun. As ‘In the Navy’ was performed and I was singing along, the guy next to me turned to me and we were commenting on how could anyone have missed the theme of the Village People’s songs. We reminisced about school dances and roller-skating parties (anyone else remember those?) – too funny.

Eventually, I’d had enough (I can only take so much loud music and crowds), and with DH’s promise that he would be down in a few minutes, I headed off to our room. I changed into some of the new lingerie and waited for DH. And waited. And waited. While waiting, I watched the ship channel where they were showing (and re-showing) the video of 70’s night. About an hour and 2 times through the show later, DH finally shows up, chattering on about how much fun he had after I left… Way to kill the mood. So absolutely nothing happened that night – and he didn’t understand why.

Oh, well. C’est la vie.

On the Ship & Leaving Venice, part 2

For those of you wondering if we did anything other than sightsee and deal with obnoxious children while on our vacation -- here ya go.

When I last posted, DH and I were enjoying a few drinks in the Crown Lounge...

Since it had been a long day, we only stayed in the lounge for a short while, having just a few drinks, before heading back to our room. I thought we were both too tired for any fun, so I just curled up to sleep. However, it quickly became clear that DH wasn’t too tired. He curled up behind me and started touching and rubbing, stroking and spanking. My whole body is pretty much one big erogenous zone, and DH knows just where and how to touch to get me heated up. Pretty soon he was focused on touching and rubbing me just right in that special area while I used my hand on him, squeezing and stroking. It was feeling sooo good.

And then I told him to spank my pussy. And he did, without hesitation. Thank goodness it was not with the force he uses on my backside, but, wow, what a sensation… He’d rub my clit, stroke my pussy, then SPANK… & repeat… Didn’t take long for me to come, not with that kind of attention.

As I was coming down from my high, DH made little comments about what he wanted to do next – specifically to my ass (and I don’t just mean a spanking *grin*). My response to this, “You’re not coming anywhere near my ass without some oil or lube.” And as he got up to get the needed supplies, I told him I bought some new goodies and told him where to find the Shunga kit and crop. I don’t think I’ve ever seen DH unwrap a package so fast. I’m not even sure he really read the card. The oil was found, opened and applied liberally to my bottom. (If you’re interested, it’s Shunga Erotic Art Erotic Massage Oil Libido Exotic Fruits – it smells really, really good, and even though it’s kinda sweet and fruity, DH likes it much better than the Sweet Almond Oil we have been using).

DH had me lie on my stomach with my head at the end of the bed. In this position I could pleasure him orally while he had easy spanking access, especially with the long reach of the crop. It didn’t take long for my bottom to turn a hot and glowing red, causing DH to pause, give the crop a look of admiration, and proclaim, “I like this toy.” (I’d like to note that this is now one of DH’s favorite positions). I was concerned that in reaction to one of the more painful swats, I might end of hurting him – but he was very insistent that my mouth stay on him at all times. Man, is that crop effective… (I think he also liked this position while on the cruise because of the mirrors at the head of the bed -- he had a great view of everything).

Eventually, DH had me turn around putting my feet at the end of the bed, laid over me and started rubbing his cock against my hot red bottom and letting it slip down between my legs until it slid right up inside me. A little of this teasing, and then it was up on all fours time. You know how it goes from here – filling and thrusting in my pussy till I come; more oiling and then anal, with me coming more, before DH finally reaches his limit and can’t hold back anymore.

Once we were breathing normally, DH had me take a look at my backside in the full length mirror. Oh my, what a red bottom! I think I like the crop, too. *weg*

On the Ship and Leaving Venice, part 1

Note -- We are having internet issues so while I will try to post everyday, I can't promise anything (also explains why nothing made it up yesterday, and I tried, I really, really tried $#%@#%#$%@$)

Saturday morning -- We got up early, had breakfast at the hotel, then headed into Venice and the cruise ship terminal to drop off our luggage. We wouldn’t be able to board until noon, but we needed to return the car by 10:30. Once that was done we wandered a little bit into Venice, just to give the kids a taste.

Supposedly, the cruise ship had free shuttles between the terminal and Piazzale Roma. We waited for ½ an hour, in the blazing sun, then decided to walk it. It’s not a long distance, and mostly downhill.

We checked in and boarded. First stop was our rooms (we were separated by one other room – we wanted the kids nearby but not too close). Our rooms were on the Deck 8 – pros & cons. On the plus side, top deck with cabins, close to stairs/elevators, main dining, pool, etc. Negatives – could hear people moving overhead. No luggage yet, but we still needed to check them out and show the kids around. Because OC was only 14 when we booked the trip, we had to set up the reservations with one adult per room. Since she was now 15, we needed to change things around so all the kids were in one cabin while we were in the other. And the beds needed to be fixed, too. Our cabin had two twin beds, while the kids’ had one queen and one bunk. Not going to work that way. DH and I went to wait in line at the pursers desk while the kids did a little exploring.

After everything was straightened out, it was time for lunch. The ship wasn’t sailing ‘til 5pm, so we had time to relax. And by this time we really needed a break from the monsters children. I swear, all they did was complain, all day – it was too hot, they were bored, they didn’t want to walk anymore, they were hungry, they were thirsty, they didn’t like the ship, they didn’t like their room, they didn’t like the food, why did we make them come on such a stupid trip, etc, etc, etc. And the constant bickering and arguing and nasty comments to and about each other. At one point I made a comment to MC, who had once again come to our room to complain about YC, that there was going to be one extremely pissed mama if we had to change the sleeping arrangements. I was seriously contemplating tossing them overboard. I haven’t decided yet if we’ll ever take another family vacation… So DH and I went to doze in our room and left the kids to their own devices.

Shortly before departure, we went up top to watch Venice as we sailed away. We found the kids and they actually stayed with us, for about 10 minutes. During this time they shared the amusing story of how they got lost and couldn’t find the way back to their room for a while. (The ship is not that big and the ID cards give your room number – not sure how they managed to get lost…). So we all watched Venice pass by as we sailed away. It’s such a beautiful city, and the weather was perfect (last year it had been foggy). I don’t know if this has ever happened to you, but a place gets all hyped up and you’re excited to visit, but when you get there you find out the pictures in the brochure were staged, etc and it just doesn’t live up to your expectations. So disappointing. Well, Venice is just like the pictures – it’s visually stunning, the canals, the grand buildings, the variety of architectural details. And considering the number of people tromping through, it’s clean. Yep, I really like Venice.

Once we were out of Venice, DH and I went into the Solarium, where the inside pool is, and just relaxed in the lounge chairs. I slipped in and out of light sleep. DH eventually decided to enjoy the hot tub, and chatted with a fellow passenger. He didn’t think I could hear him, but I could pretty much hear every word as he relayed to this stranger the details of how we met and married, etc. (Hmmmmpppphhhh. I really can’t complain as it’s pretty much what I do with the whole blogging thing.) Before we knew it, it was after 8pm, so we went to find the kids and have some dinner. The kids were taking care of themselves, having already had dinner and then settling into their room. So DH and I had a late meal, checked on the kids, and went to the lounge to relax and have a couple of drinks. I don’t think we were in the lounge for more than 15-20 minutes before MC showed up to complain about YC. I’m serious – no more family vacations.

Good Morning, Italy

Buon Giornio.

Landed in Milan, Italy bright and early this morning. It’s amazing to fly over the Alps – all the sharp edges coated in snow, shining in the early morning sun. What a sight to see when you first wake up.

Amazingly, no luggage was lost (on DH and my very first trip, mine was lost between London and Milan – I wore the same clothes for 3 days, washing my unders in the bathroom each night). Unfortunately, it was too early for any restaurants to be open and we had about an hour and a half ‘til we could rent the car. So we sat until a snack bar opened, and just waited. I did manage to take some pictures of the Alps through the windows…

Considering the car was smaller than your average American car, it was amazing, but we easily fit in all our luggage and all of us, without being horribly cramped.

It’s a nice, straight drive across northern Italy from Milan to Venice. The scenery is gorgeous – trees in bloom; fields of orange-red poppies & other unidentified wildflowers; vineyards, big & small; hills; grand churches and fortresses; old, abandoned, and collapsing buildings; the colors of the buildings – yellows, reds, oranges. The weather was perfect – 70s and clear.

And the places we pass – Bergamo, Verona, Vicenza, Padova (Padua). Makes me think of Shakespeare…

Mind, the Autostrade is not for the faint of heart. Stay out of the left lane unless you plan on going faster than everyone else. And by faster, I mean in excess of 130 km/hr. Well in excess.

Since our cruise was leaving the next morning, we chose not to stop and see the sites, but head straight on to Venice. I think we made it in about 3 hours. We checked into the same hotel DH and I have stayed at on both previous trips, and then we took the kids to dinner at the same restaurant we’ve eaten at before, too. Oh, the town we stayed in was Quarto d’Altino. You can find it on Google Earth, if you’re so inclined.

Side note on Italian dining – Italian food is pretty much it. You do not see Mexican/Spanish, Chinese, American, British, German, or any other type of restaurant very often. And you can only take so many lunches and dinners of pizza/pasta before it becomes unappealing. I do have to say though that I really like true Italian pizza – the crust is thin and crispy with just a light layer of sauce and cheese. And they put all sorts of toppings on them – including some that do not seem appetizing at all. I do love the grilled veggie pizzas – grilled eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers. Yummy. Really puts you off Pizza Hut, et al.

Anyway, back to the story…
After dinner, it was back to the hotel and bed. But not before MC managed to break the rollaway bed. Sheesh. Just one more reason not to vacation with kids.
Sadly, DH and I were just too worn out from the travelling to muster enough energy for any action at all.

Next: On the ship and leaving Venice.

And We're Off

This little bit was written while waiting between flights –

Well, we’re on our way. Right now we’re at JFK airport waiting for our flight. And it’s a special flight, first ever American Airlines non-stop from NY to Milan.

The picture at the top - the “car” from our house to the 1st airport. Takes a big vehicle to fit all 5 of us & all of our luggage.

Since DH travels so much, he easily gets upgrades & access to the executive lounge. Much nicer waiting area than the regular lounge. Older kids are on computers, youngest is in the kids room, DH is napping, & you know what I’m doing

And now –

On approach into NY we flew over Manhattan. Pretty cool to see a place you’ve never been before, especially such a famous one. We could see the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Central Park, and the site of the World Trade Towers. I did get some pictures out the plane window.

For all that the flight was a ‘special’ one, can I just state here, unequivocally, that the food was horrible. I had the chicken and pasta and it was so bitter, and the brownie for dessert tasted like chemicals – I love chocolate but there was no way I was eating it. YC, who sat by me, chose the beef stew with mashed potatoes. She loves mashed potatoes (fried potatoes, baked potatoes, you get the idea). She also loves meat. She only took a couple of bites before declaring that it didn’t taste good. I didn’t taste the potatoes but I did take a bite of the stew – yuck. The meat tasted off. The only semi-decent parts of the meal were the anemic salad and the cold roll.

After ‘dinner’, the cabin lights were turned off, and we slept.

I forgot to mention, I got to travel with a nasty cold. Joy. Runny nose, congestion, coughing, the works. Tried to keep myself dosed enough not to worry the other passengers.

Prep for the Trip

When planning a 2 week vacation for a family five, some shopping is pretty much a given. The two older kids needed some dressier clothes along with some new casual clothes. DH only needed a few things, as did YC. I didn’t ‘need’ things so much as just wanted some new things for the trip (details to come).

Clothes shopping for the teens – can we just say it was like mall hell? And I already hate going to the mall and shopping…

MC did not want to get anything dressy. We split up – girls with me, boy with DH. DH found me while I was waiting for YC to finish in the bathroom. MC had on khakis, blue dress shirt, and dark blue sport jacket. Other than the too long, shaggy hair, he looked pretty good (which was getting cut the next day) – not too dressy but definitely not casual. The if-looks-could-kill gaze he gave me when I exclaimed that he looked good was accompanied by the mouthing of “I hate you.” Couldn’t help but laugh. Still not certain if the sentiment was only because of the clothes or because of spending time alone with his Dad. But he had no choice, and into the cart went the clothes.

OC needed a nice dress… 4 hours and 4 stores later, we finally found one (the boys had already gone home by then). There are reasons for this, and not just that she’s picky (although she is). OC is a little overweight (I’m guessing 25 pounds) which means the slim fashions are not going to work for her. In addition, she is very well endowed on top. We’d find something cute, it would be the right size, but without any give in the average size bust area, it just wasn’t going to work. We even looked at separates, but she didn’t see anything she liked. Finally, while wandering through one store, we saw a really cute dress but it was in petites. We took note of the brand, and went looking for it in misses or juniors. Found it in women’s but even their smallest was too large for her. Finally, when we were just about to give up, we found it in the misses section, along with a cute sweater she could wear with it.

YC only needed a couple of things – flip-flops, shorts and a sweater. However, by the end of the day she was crying because everyone else got more than she did. I recognize that exhaustion was a big factor in the breakdown.

What did I get? – 2 capris, 2 sweaters, 1 shirt, new panties, bras and lingerie. I haven’t done any clothes shopping since last year, so was more than due. And what better reason to buy some new and sexy under things than a cruise vacation (it was my reason last year, so I figured I’d make it a tradition). And I’m of the opinion that sexy & sensual under things are not just for special occasions; I like knowing I’m wearing something special, even if one else ever sees them.

That was all on Saturday. On Sunday there was just a little bit more to do – shoes for the 3 of us girls. Didn’t take nearly as long as Saturday’s excursion. Thank goodness.

During the week, I made a special trip to a ‘special’ store – you know, one that stocks all sorts of adult toys and goodies. I tried not to go too crazy, seeing how we already have quite a few, but I had to get something new. Right? I bought a crop (we don’t have one); a leather paddle w/ ‘fur’ on one side (don’t have one exactly like it); Shunga kit (oil, cream, powder, etc); and a few other odds and ends, plus a nice naughty card. The Shunga kit actually came all wrapped up, so I treated it as a special gift for DH. I also packed a couple of our ‘old’ toys – my purple vibrator, the red flogger and the wooden hairbrush. Guess what I didn’t pack… the nasty bath brush (I decided that if DH really wanted it, he could pack it himself; I was not going to pack something I loathe).

Somehow we managed to get everything packed into 6 not so big suitcases (1 for each person clothes, plus 1 master case for all the bathroom stuff – that way if anything exploded it wouldn’t end up on clothes). Really not bad for 5 people travelling for 2 weeks. Wednesday night before bed, we were ready to go.

Where have you been today?

Not dead, not gone -- travelling. On our family vacation (don't think we're ever travelling with the kids again - more on that later). So just a quick note -- I've been jotting down notes and ideas and when it doesn't cost so much to get online (and isn't so bloody slow), I will definitely post pics and narrative.

Oh, and today, we were in Athens, Greece. That's the Temple of Athena & Poseidon on the Acropolis. Amazing what they could do without computers and electricity.

On to Mykonos...

Back to Normal. I think.

So, it's been one of those weeks. My arm is pretty much back to normal, just slightly swollen and bruised around the injection site. Some bug crawled up DH's butt, but apparently has now crawled back out -- after multiple rounds of emailing back and forth, during work hours (I still managed to pretty much clear my desk). Basically DH makes vast assumptions, based on his own paranoid ideas, and decides I mean something so totally off what I do mean, that it's in another universe. I won't bore you with the details (if you want them ask and I'll 'talk' your ears off). Of course, we didn't get this resolved until my neck and back were in such knots that I spent the first hour home this evening 'snuggling' with a bag of frozen peas. Really wishing I'd made it to my massage on Tuesday. DH even asked me to go out with him tonight instead of tomorrow, our usual date night. Begged off -- we'll see how my back is tomorrow.

Now for something spanking related:

While DH and I were on vacation earlier this year, one of the stops was Dubrovnik, Croatia. Part of the excursion was a tour of the Rector's Palace - Museum of Dubrovnik. It was mainly antique furniture and artwork. In one of the rooms was a beautiful cabinet, black base with paintings all over it, made in the late 17th century. That's a picture of it from the museum website . We didn't take any pictures ourselves -- I don't think it was allowed. Anyway, on the far right lower panel there is a picture of a seated woman viewed from the back, and she has an obviously rosy bottom. I noticed but didn't say anything. DH noticed, leaned into me and whispered, "somebody's been spanked." I tried to zoom in, but it's not very good, sorry.





So, women with rosy backsides are nothing new.