Tag: Travel

Traveling with Sadie

July 11, 2026

Sadie and I embarked on a long anticipated getaway this week. We visited a place that’s been on my personal travel wish list. I also wanted to see how well Sadie handled traveling for a few days to an unfamiliar location. We spent three days at the Laura Walker State Park in Waycross, Georgia. I rented one of the pet-friendly cottages, complete with a lake view. An unexpected, but very welcome bonus, was the really nice, shaded dog park adjacent to the visitor center.

My plan was to hike the park trails, explore the surrounding area (3 quilt shops within a 1 hour drive) and have a mini-quilt retreat. I know South Georgia is hot and muggy in the summertime. That said, the extreme, brutal heat of the past few days was not expected, nor was the smoke from burning debris leftover from logging activities in the vicinity. This meant outdoor activities were limited to short walks and frequent visits to the dog park instead of hiking park trails. We explored pet friendly businesses in the area, but mostly stayed inside our cool, air-conditioned cottage.

Overall, Big Girl handled the trip well. She made herself right at home in the cottage once she saw her water bowl, food bowl, bed and a non-skid throw rug laid out. She was not a fan of the laminate and tile floors in the cottage, however. We have carpet and hardwood floors at home, with scatter rugs strategically placed on the hardwood for traction. I had to buy a second non-skid rug to place in front of her bed, so she could easily find her footing when she got up. The beach towel wasn’t cutting it.

I’d definitely like to visit again in the early spring or late fall – when the weather is cooler – to take advantage of the trails and to be able to drink my tea from the screened porch each morning as I look out over the lake (without sweating at 6:30 a.m. and without the smoky smell).

Sadie, now a BARK ranger!

Almost summer – therapy dog edition

May 15, 2026

Mid-May heralds the wind down of activities for the current school year. Sadie and I made our final visit to the local public library yesterday. Next week will be our EOY celebration at the elementary school where we visit each week. And then summer for us officially begins! Her highness will kick things off with a spa day while I attend my bee group meeting.

We’ll still be making therapy dog visits during the summer months. Our national organization requires 1 visit every 90 days to remain in good standing. For therapy dog teams who primarily follow an academic calendar, the months of June, July and August can quickly turn into a summer scramble as we try to find events to meet this requirement. Making a single visit in July will keep us in good standing, but Big Girl likes to work.

Our summer visit schedule looks different every year. This time, Sadie’s favorite assistant principal is in charge of summer school and invited us to make as many visits as we want in June. Just for fun, we’ll add in a local summer camp and Gigi’s Playhouse visits for July. There are two other events in which I’d like to participate; however they require 1-1/2 – 2 hours of travel time each way. Gas prices and ongoing road construction will determine whether or not we participate in those.

Standing therapy dog visits that follow an academic calendar typically resume by Labor Day. The school is already confirmed to continue for the 2026-27 school year. The public library is TBD. The current vibe seems to be one of changes ahead, so we’ll see what happens. My 11 year run as a therapy dog volunteer at this library has been wonderful, but I’ll be totally fine if this chapter comes to an end.

Deciding which quilt retreat to attend

May 6, 2026

Ok, you’ve compiled your list of quilting events. How do you decide which one to attend?

After the surgeon’s report that my husband did not need surgery at this time, the option to travel is a reality once again. I went through the list of potential quilting events I’d compiled over the past few months. Many were already sold out, including one location where my husband had wanted to tag along. Events with only dormitory style sleeping arrangements still available were removed from consideration.

Four events remained – each one requiring air travel. I kept circling back to one and finally registered after estimating travel costs (a bit of a splurge, but within reason). The draw is that it’s in a city I’ve never been to previously and the event offers classes with instructors who are on my instructor/class wish list. An opportunity to take a class with two of them in 2024 (much closer to home) was cancelled. I’m taking full advantage of this unexpected second chance. This is the type of quilty bucket list travel I planned for in retirement.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about myself:

  1. Cruises are not my thing.
  2. I enjoy solo travel. A private room option is essential – and I’m willing to pay a reasonable upcharge for it.
  3. While I will occasionally share a room with someone that I know, I am not into sharing a room with total strangers.
  4. Retreats in new-to-me locations are given priority consideration.
  5. Instructor led classes are highly preferred where significant travel is involved.
  6. If the proposed projects don’t appeal to me, I’ll pass.
  7. Sometimes, it’s absolutely worth splurging a little bit more just for the experience.

My preferences mean there are events I’ll likely never attend – and I’m totally okay with that. I don’t feel the least bit left out. In fact, I find inspiration in the projects marketed by various companies sponsoring quilt cruises. I can always buy the pattern or kit and make it at home, on sew days or at other BYOP retreats.

Photo by Mauru00edcio Mascaro on Pexels.com