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social creature and and rarely say no to a social activity, when invited. However, when confronting the question head on, I'm lost in wonderment as to why I'm always eager to out there and interact- why being by myself for long periods, causes me feel to be unsettled and forlorned. Could it be the fact that I came into this world accompanied by a c.jpg)
onstant cohort (Margaret, my twin) until the age of 26? So perhaps spending hours/days at a time, isolated and without human contact of any sorts is simply an unatural state of being??? A few months back, my dear friend, Shelly, talked me into joining her in Oregon for a women's SDA retreat in the dramatic mountainside of Bend, Oregon. So after finding a terrifically priced flight, I drove out to Chicago to catch it. This gave me a chance to meet up with my windy city frien.jpg)
d, Lenny, before flying out. Once in OR, I was imbedded in a mountainside retreat surrounded by 390 women for 2 days. Ok, many of you that know me well, are probably asking what exactly I'm doing at a retreat that includes only women'. Well I'm all about new experience and perhaps I was even hoping to learn a few t.jpg)
hinsg about female bonding. Ok, ok, I didn't exactly attend all the meeting, as my room, with its heavenly bed, gas fireplace and woodview balcony, had most of my attention. Even though I left Bend, confirming that these retreats were probably not my forte, I did get a chance to meet a few lovely women, including Elizabeth, who gifted me with a professional hour-long massage . Ahhhh now tha.jpg)
t was worth the trip alone!
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d, Lenny, before flying out. Once in OR, I was imbedded in a mountainside retreat surrounded by 390 women for 2 days. Ok, many of you that know me well, are probably asking what exactly I'm doing at a retreat that includes only women'. Well I'm all about new experience and perhaps I was even hoping to learn a few t.jpg)
hinsg about female bonding. Ok, ok, I didn't exactly attend all the meeting, as my room, with its heavenly bed, gas fireplace and woodview balcony, had most of my attention. Even though I left Bend, confirming that these retreats were probably not my forte, I did get a chance to meet a few lovely women, including Elizabeth, who gifted me with a professional hour-long massage . Ahhhh now tha.jpg)
t was worth the trip alone!Not wasting time, we drove back to Portland, Oregon to break bread with a few friends of Shellys (portland was Shelly's home for 6 yrs) One of the more unforgettable old metro groupies, Renea Samborski, joined us. 7 years ago, she ditched Michigan to seek out greener pastures and I'd say with one husband and two kids later, she definately found them.
My next stop was 5 hrs away in Vancouver, BC, where my cousin Krissy and her son, Tovia live. How rare indeed it is to see Krissy 3x in one year. I'd been to Vancouver numerous times before, so to her dissapointment, I didn't have anything on the agenda except to swing by downtown Vancouver and have a delicious nutella/banana crepes - which I accomplished. It wasn't quite a full-on vacation, but it it was enough time catch up.
My next stop was 5 hrs away in Vancouver, BC, where my cousin Krissy and her son, Tovia live. How rare indeed it is to see Krissy 3x in one year. I'd been to Vancouver numerous times before, so to her dissapointment, I didn't have anything on the agenda except to swing by downtown Vancouver and have a delicious nutella/banana crepes - which I accomplished. It wasn't quite a full-on vacation, but it it was enough time catch up.
Before returning home, I spent the wkend with Patricia .jpg)
and her cutie patutie daughter, Sophia in Berrien Springs (an old metro groupie sans daughter at the time). A home I always feel very comfortable and welcomed in. Ivan was away, prospect job hunting, in case Whirlpool decided to lay off a few more thousand people. Patricia was mentioning how she was planning to 'canvas' one afternoon I was there. After I agreed to join her, she got my attention and said 'Liz, I don't think you understand, I'm going canvassing for Obama'. Well I'll be monkey's uncle - I never .jpg)
heard of anyone canvassing (going door to door) for a politian before. Have you?
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and her cutie patutie daughter, Sophia in Berrien Springs (an old metro groupie sans daughter at the time). A home I always feel very comfortable and welcomed in. Ivan was away, prospect job hunting, in case Whirlpool decided to lay off a few more thousand people. Patricia was mentioning how she was planning to 'canvas' one afternoon I was there. After I agreed to join her, she got my attention and said 'Liz, I don't think you understand, I'm going canvassing for Obama'. Well I'll be monkey's uncle - I never .jpg)
heard of anyone canvassing (going door to door) for a politian before. Have you?Sunday am, I drove up to Grand Rapids, to visit with Mike Racine, (and yes, he was also an ex-metro groupie). Gone are the days when I only had to travel to one location (.jpg)
usually Beardsley's home) to see all these guys, now it requires trekking crossing state lines! (Ok, here is where change sucks). I was in for a treat with Mike, as he took me flying over Grand Rapids and Holland. I'll be honest here - I was slightly nervous as he's only had his lisence for a year. As it turns out, there wasn't a need for white knuckles as he manvered that plane like a pro. Nope, wasn't finished just yet... A high school cohort , Karan Rohwer, lived in Grand Rapids, so I had to stop by for a cuppa and a chat and to meet the hubby and 3 kids.
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usually Beardsley's home) to see all these guys, now it requires trekking crossing state lines! (Ok, here is where change sucks). I was in for a treat with Mike, as he took me flying over Grand Rapids and Holland. I'll be honest here - I was slightly nervous as he's only had his lisence for a year. As it turns out, there wasn't a need for white knuckles as he manvered that plane like a pro. Nope, wasn't finished just yet... A high school cohort , Karan Rohwer, lived in Grand Rapids, so I had to stop by for a cuppa and a chat and to meet the hubby and 3 kids. For me, the combination of familiar faces and new places is the ideal vacation for me - so I'll rat e this escape as a 9 out of 10.
