Erica’s Blog

 Hubby was eligible for his sabbatical last year, but postponed it, knowing that we really didn’t want to be gone during the summer that would hold Paul’s first birthday and the first anniversary of his “angel day”. 

So, now we’re planning his time off.  He gets six weeks of sabbatical, plus his vacation time, plus the holidays that will fall while he’s off, so all total he’s getting about 10 weeks off work.  With full pay.  Wahoo!  We’re planning to be gone for about five weeks of that time.

Here’s what we have planned so far:

July 3 - 7:  Dittneylan’ with the Things and our favorite college student.  Three days in the park, time enjoying Captain Hook’s pirate ship in the hotel pool, etc.  (Hey, Wendy!  Wanna bring HWWV and Girlfriend and meet us down there one day?)

Next:  Go visit Grandma Lorna in Texas.

Next:  Go visit Grandma Ruthie & Grandpa Gil in Florida.

Next:  LEAVE the Things in Florida and go off on our own adventure for, I believe, two weeks.  (That’s what hubby’s say, but I’m not sure if he’s confirmed that with Grandma or not.)

Next:  Return to Florida briefly, then back home to prepare for Thing Two to start kindergarten!

So, here’s the thing:  WHERE should we go for “our” part of the trip?  Hubby has said that this is a “no holds barred” trip, that we can go ANYWHERE in the world we want to go.  ANYWHERE.  It’s fairly easy to choose when you only have two or three choices, but when your choices are the whole world, it’s rather more difficult.  I’m having a horrible time deciding.  HELP!  Where would YOU go? 

I’ve only been able to narrow it down a bit.  Here are places I know I DON’T want to go/things I’m/we’re NOT interested in doing:

• not interested in a cruise
• neither one of us interested in going to Mexico
• not interested in going to Africa
• not interested in going to the Middle East (just a wee bit too volatile over there…)
• not interested in a domestic trip (We had considered going up the East Coast and seeing everyone we know out that way, but that’s not a real once-in-a-lifetime thing.)
• not interested in Hawaii (Hubby’s been there before, anyway.)

We’re thinking about the UK to see the friends hubby made on his ill-fated trip there in April, 2004.  We’re also thinking about the Mediterranean, with a stop in Sicily to meet Zib live and in person (hubby’s idea!).  We’re toying with the idea of going to S’pore to see Teck and Patrice, though I’ve been there before.  We’re thinking about France — sitting in cafes, imagining Hemingway, Picasso & Gertrude Stein (OK, I’d have to make hubby read that stuff first.)

Please!  Give us your input!