Take the time to smell the roses and enjoy life

[Lisa-n-AZ]

I just wanted to share. I just got back from 2 weeks of vacation. My husband and I got out of the AZ heat on a relaxing no stress trip. We took the Starlight express train from LA to Seattle, we just watched the country side go by for 2 days. I don't think, I every truly took the time to enjoy all the beauty of fall. Then we spent 2 days in Seattle and dined with friends. Then off to Kodiak, Alaska for a week with my daughter and her husband. We enjoyed the first snow of the year on our second morning. Nicole is such a rock star, she pampered me every day. We took long walks in the forest and picked up sea glass on the beach. I did not read any email for 2 weeks (work or personal). I tasked both my sisters to take the lead on checking in on our mom everyday. I slept like a baby the whole week in Alaska - no stress. No sleeping pills needed.

Oh, my husband fished everyday. He was happy.

So 4 days back in the grind and not sleeping well and stressed trying to keep up. Idea, I don't need to keep up! It is time to take some clutter out of my life. I've been working this whole year, my long term disability was approved back in August and I'm just going go out at the end of the month instead of trying to hold on until retirement in February.

Got a plan

[diamags]

Well done!

[JulSoul]

Sounds perfect!

[Susan1953]

Lisa, sounds like a great trip. I am at the beach with a beautiful view sitting on the balcony drinking coffee as I text. This is the first trip My husband and I have taken since my diagnosis in April. I am ready to travel!!

[Partia]

Im sure it did you a world of good.

[Tap321]

Thanks so much for sharing. How did you travel to LA? Fly? I enjoyed reading about your travels.

[Lisa-n-AZ in reply to Tap321]

via plane...LAX was a zoo wish we would have taken a train or drove.

[PJBinMI]

Thanks for sharing! I love to travel and have found that cruises are a great way to see new places with the "back up" of a bed and bathroom always being available! lol We cruised to Alaska just a couple of years after I was diagnosed with mbc and it was so wonderful, one of the best trips ever. I think if I'd been to Alaska when I was young, i might have moved there. So beautiful, though cost of living is high. We've taken some long road trips, too. I have traveled some by train back in the preAmtrak days and found it to be a great way to see the country side. Eurail and Britrail are great, too.

[Heath3]

Thanks for sharing, good to hear!

[BeckyHobson]

Amazing the clarity Traveling does to your mind and soul huh? Live life and enjoy every single minute of it doing what makes you happy and feels good. Helping others feels good. Ditch that job thing and the stress that goes with it and focus on you, your mom and your family. Cheers

[darlenejulien]

Lived in Gig Harbor, WA. for 2 years, talk about stress free! Every morning I would grab my coffee & sit in the great room with the over sized sliding glass doors & just stare at the forest in my yard. So beautiful, but then my daughter had our granddaughter & back to CA. for us. Which was a good thing since my oncologist is here & that is when I was diagnosed with Mets. to bone in spine. A bit harder to live a stress free life here, but I do see my granddaughter a lot!