I'm afraid that statement about another vacation was just the booze talking the other morning. I have no plans on going anywhere anytime soon.

But I'm glad to hear you're considering a vacation! When you say the "mainland" I assume you mean Australia? 

How is the current weather there? It's still winter on your side of the pond, no?

Rastus wrote:

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SELLC wrote:

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1.I'm afraid that statement about another vacation was just the booze talking the other morning. I have no plans on going anywhere anytime soon.

2.But I'm glad to hear you're considering a vacation! When you say the "mainland" I assume you mean Australia? 

3.How is the current weather there? It's still winter on your side of the pond, no?

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R1. Bummer !

R2. My folks are in there 80's now, & I haven't seen them since before that flu-thang hit, now called the "Great Re-set"... The expense in travel is such that you get the best value for $$$ if you can string the visit out for 7-10 days. I'll spend a week-end with them, & then travel over to SA for a few days ( near Adelaide ) to see an old sea-faring friend who's a car-nut & then try to see Pete Slattery at ECETI Australia, but I doubt that will be possible, as Pete's pretty-much a book-in only person, & all this is "chicken soup" until I find out pricing for the ship ( return ) which is about 1/2 the total cost, & its availability. You may have a perfect time-table, but it may not agree with the ships. All my bills are paid-up except my upcoming home insurance, so I'll see how much splash-cash I have left to do this with.

With the "Deep State" now claimed to be here in Oz, & impending wars with China & Papau New Guinea on the horizon, not to mention Myanmar, the reigns of free travel may get tighter over the next few years, especially when a ship or aeroplane is needed. I'll be taking the Hayabusa, since it can travel at speed safely, & drinks only less than 1/2 of what the little MB V-8 does.

R3. Yes it's winter here in these Southern parts, but only mild when compared to other years. Spring has been here for a few weeks already with trees blossoming their fruit already. The weather has been so pleasant, that the only tell-tale of winter has been the really short day-light hours. Though cold through the nights, to save $$$ & energy, the heater was lucky to see no-more than 24-hrs use in total. It's easier to rug-up with clothing that you already own than waste energy on a heater.

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RR1 - Not so much, Rastus... it has been beautiful here this summer too! I had my trip to California, the kid come in town on my birthday -- and I have been getting a lot done for one man around the house! Got two new bays, both are being actively used! This is BIG-BIG for me, especially when winter rears is cold ugly head this winter! 

RR2 - Sounds really cool! Good times! You are right to do your travel now as it could get ugly and quick -- and them are never good times to travel in. Let's hope your upcoming home insurance isn't like my most recent experience where the $900 annual rate had increased to $1,750! Inflation has really gotten bad here in the USA, Rastus... it used to only cost $600 per year from about 2015-2020, after that is just EXPLODED -- going up by hundreds of dollars each year! This without any claims even! Not even kidding that for Brandee and I to eat at Five Guys Burgers (burger joint with really good burgers) it now cost us $50 for two people! It's similar money to get regular fast-food from places like McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell -- but maybe $10-$15 less (for two people)... It has gotten SO BAD that fast food places have been running loss leader value meals but they cannot guarantee the specials for more than a month at a time! All that said, your parents aren't getting any younger and neither are any of us! If your parents are anything like my grandparents towards the end (early 90's) it may come to pass that you'll have to move back to the mainland to take care of them. I've recently had a death in the family, my Grandmother... it was hard to watch and even harder to deal with at the funeral knowing she would never tell me "Come on in here and get yourself a Coca-Cola, and can I fix you anything to eat?"... My other grandmother died a short time after I was born, so she has really been the only Grandmother I have known my entire life. It's been so difficult I haven't even been able to talk about it much on social media. I was there for the last days and got to tell her goodbye, but it was hard while seeing her while she was in assisted living. Watching how you work all your life, get a house and finally get a little money and then all of a sudden your health starts going and you can't even remember anything from minute to minute. Watching her leave her house and having to stay in an assisted living facility because she needed more care than the entire family could give her. It was an eye-opener! Coming to grips with my own mortality, and the fact that we don't get better as we age, we just get older -- and at some point you're unable to even care for yourself. Still chokes me up a bit! So my suggestion would be to go, while you can still enjoy them in their 80's because it just seems once you cross in to the 90's -- you're living your last days much the same as you were your first days -- unable to take care of yourself.

These are the only photos that I have shared of that day... to your right (drivers side) is Adam, my first cousin (once removed)... to your left (passengers side) is my son Rex Brandon -- the one who works at Mercedes-Benz in Texas.

My youngest son was at the U of M Bio lab at a camp for his school up north Michigan in Mackinaw... he was unable to attend or he would have lost six credits and almost $5,000 in tuition. He wanted to come, but we told him it was just too long of a trip home and we aren't millionaires so his future needed them credits and that tuition money! Grandma would have agreed!

This is me, standing in front of the Corvette... My Grandmoter worked at GM's Fisher Body all her life and retired from General Motors with a pension. Her favorite color was also Red! So I drove this car in the procession for Grandma myself.

The pink tie was a nod to the color of the outfit she was buried in... same with the pink shirt my son wore.

This is also me, standing in front of the Mustang which my son drove to the funeral. We did not put it in the procession as it's a little too piped to be crawling thru the cemetery.

It was crazy timing that my Son, Rex Brandon was able to be in town when my Grammie Bea passed. 

The funeral was most spectacular and there wasn't a dry eye in the house! Unfortunately with death came some family in-fighting and I fear the funeral may be the last time our whole family may ever be in the same room together at one time! It's sad considering back in the early days of the 1980's on thru until the late 2000's we all still got together are Grandmas for Christmas and other holidays. It's really going to hit hard on the Holidays this year when she is no longer with us. She was literally the glue of my Mom's side of the family. Nobody messed with Grammie Bea, and if they did -- they lived to regret it! She would tell us stories of the Golden Years and her upbringing down in Tennessee picking cotton. She was very kind and generous, and if you were family she would do anything in her power to help you -- a true Southen Belle. While my Mom and my Uncle bore the brunt -- it was painful watching her pass. From the decision that her condition deteriorated to the point she needed assisted living, to her last days on hospice -- I think it fucked me up a little bit... knowing that soon that could be my parents -- and soon after that, ME! I don't know that I have fully recovered from the reality of how cruel life can be towards the end -- but let me tell you it opened my eyes!

That is why I'd suggest you make your trip to the mainland while things are still somewhat peaceful, and your parents havent crossed that 90 year threshold. That is not to say everyone starts going down in health in their 90's -- but my Grandfather also went the same way. Although he was in England and at the time getting on a plane during COVID was just not something I was able to do. So I didn't really see what I saw as my Grandmother passed. 

RR3 - Glad to hear the winter has been mild! It's not yet fall here, but it's coming on like a freight train. Still lots of 90 degree days, but we are getting some cooler 75 degree days here and there, and some chilly nights. I agree the worst part about winter is the loss of daylight hours -- that is why these two additional bays are REALLY a game changer for me! Finishing up is much more important than a vacation right now IMHO... Perhaps this winter when it's all done, I can take Brandee to Miami to see her family -- who is also dealing with some medical issues. 

LOL !!!

Stellar said...

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qt."To be honest, I'm shocked the Trump sign made it through the night without being snatched "!
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I'm surprised your house made it through the night without being bombed lol !