The Traveling Steve's

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

Yes, just like the song, December is generally the happiest month of the year for me.  Tucked away somewhere between the work travel, Christmas shopping, creating and mailing greeting cards, decorating the house with outdoor lights, setting up the Christmas tree, attending neighborhood parties, and going away for a pre-Christmas weekend, yes it’s WONDERFUL, if not a bit modern-day hectic!  Here’s a preview pic of the Christmas card I designed.I say this every year, but this year has really flown by; pardon the pun!  Each Christmas season I vow that next year will not be so rushed; will get the cards out early, the house decorated, etc, and everything will be calm and relaxing.  Oh if only I could keep that promise!  Here’s a night shot of our decorated front yard.

Anyway, this season is especially busy as my parents are still in the rehab/nursing home due to separate falls.  Steve DOS and I are going up for Christmas, but we may try to go a week or more early to help out my brother Andy, as they prepare to be moved to an assisted living facility. We’ve been up to see them in Roanoke quite a bit this year, especially recently, and Christmas will be no exception.

I’m writing this from the Orlando Airport Admiral’s Club.  My flight to Philadelphia (connecting to Milwaukee) departs at 11:05, so I have about an hour to catch up on this blog I’ve been too busy to do.  

I’ll be in Milwaukee this week for work, and it’s going to be FREEZING cold; in the 20’s at night – Yikes!  I’m hoping I don’t get sick with all the winter germs, as this weekend we are going away for a three day weekend to Jekyll Island, truly one of my favorite relaxation spots in the US.

More on Jekyll later, but a quick recap since Thanksgiving.  I got back home to Orlando Saturday night after Thanksgiving, and had a quick remainder of the weekend at home.  Last week  I was in Hammond, Louisiana, which is about an hour outside of New Orleans.  I had a busy week, and worked late a couple nights so didn’t have a chance to do anything fun, but the week went by quick.  No many photos for the week, except a couple at the airport, including this mammoth SUV I rented from National Car Rental.  I like SUV’s, but this one was a bit too big, and had a rail step on the outside of the car to step on getting in the vehicle.

The only other pics I took were the hotel and driving back to the airport in a hurried frenzy, trying to make my 1pm flight, and not run out of gas on the way to the airport!   Steve’s travel tip for the New Orleans area: Make sure you have plenty of gas as there are miles and miles of bijou swampland with nowhere to stop, and certainly no gas stations!  Fortunately I made it back to the airport on time, and made it to a gas station about 4 miles from the airport to fill up.  Oh, I did take one other pick at the New Orleans Airport, a pic of me by one of their Christmas trees, with a relieved smile on my face that I made the flight and didn’t run out of gas on the way to the airport!

Steve DOS met me at the airport in Orlando Friday night when I got home, and we had a late meal at Outback near the house.  This is a new Outback, and at least double the size of the old one nearby that was in a strip mall.  The same owner closed the old one, and had this new one built – huge improvement!

On Saturday night, we had a pre-Christmas food and wine dinner for my neighbors Kenny and Mary.  They supplied the food, and we supplied the wines – together a great combination!   I set the glasses up on the table, with the appropriate Riedel glass for each type of wine: Chardonnay, two Cabernets, and a 2006 Ledson red blend, and also with some fun Christmas wine glasses for pre-dinner appetizers in the kitchen.

We had a wonderful and late Saturday night, and as Kenny and Mary only had a short walk home across the street, we went thru quite a bit of vino!

Sunday, we spent most of the day getting ready for Jekyll; packing for the trip there, as well as my week trip to Milwaukee. I will be flying on Friday straight into Jacksonville, FL which is only an hour’s drive from Jekyll.  As my brother Andy and Art will be flying down from Roanoke, and meeting DOS in Tampa on Thursday, I knew the luggage situation would be tight in the car.  DOS is renting a large SUV, which they will drive from Tampa to Jacksonville on Friday to meet me at the airport.  The three of them are going to Berne’s Steakhouse on Thursday, and yes I’m a little jealous I will be working and can’t go!

Anyway, it’s a rather long drive from Tampa to Jacksonville, and as I always overpack for Jekyll I wanted to make sure they have room in the SUV for their luggage too, and ultimately me too!  We always decorate our room (the Presidential Suite) at Jekyll, and host a weekend long part for our friends on the island (Larsen and Michelle), and this year my Orlando friends Ben and Tom, as well as Andy, Art, DOS, and me.  We (ok I) take a lot of Christmas lights, greenery, wreathes, etc, not to mention stockings, stocking stuffers, food and drink etc . . .   Even by my standards I overpacked, so Sunday afternoon DOS and I took a few things over to Ben and Tom’s for them to bring to Jekyll when they come on Friday.  

Anyway, it’s nearly time for my flight to board.  Have a great week!

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