Heading South, South America

I love to travel. I wasn’t born with a suitcase in my hand; I didn’t take my first flight until I was 21. But the desire to see the world is always so close to me. I see pictures, read books and the wanderlust to go and see and learn and be overwhelms me. I love to be surrounded by like minded people that have the same “travel itch”. Don’t get me wrong, I love to vacation, too. But traveling to go and do is much different than going to stay put and rest.
 

The Good to Go Gang is headed out Monday on one of the ultimate Bucket List trips.   We are traveling to South America to Peru. A land of mysteries, legends and ancient cultures. We will step into the past as we mix with people that still weave for a livihood from the sheep, alpacas, and llamas that dot the snow-topped Andes mountainsides. We will dine on local food, the fresh seafood, the ceviche, and fruits that our local grocers don’t stock. We will probably get confused at the huge variety of potatoes that grow here, and when they serve the “Cuy” the cameras will click. Watch us on our Good to Go FaceBook page to travel with us.

The experience of eating will only be dwarfed by the magnificent structure that we have all seen pictures of in magazines and calendars - Macchu Picchu. I will be making my third trek up this world landmark. The Spaniards never found these “must-see” archeological sites from the Inca Empire as they were hidden by jungle growth until “re-discovered” during the 20^th century. Our guide will educate us on theories of this amazing, (there is no other word for it), amazing place built on the top of mountain from stones quarried miles away and then left undisturbed. Amazing. The pictures won’t do it justice, but you are welcome to “join us” on our Good to Go With Patti Beth Facebook page and follow our, internet connection permitting, daily postings of photos and video.

But we are just getting started! We will also visit the Uros Islands that literally are made of reeds and float on Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. We will feel like we are in a National Geography story meeting families whose lifestyles have barely changed in thousands of years. Wait until you see our pictures! 

Cross your fingers for clear skies for us as we are booked to fly over the mysterious Nazca lines. The lines which were scratched on the surface of the Earth between 500BC and 500 AD. Perhaps you’ve seen photos or documentaries about these complex designs which can only be seen in their true form from the sky. I’m sure the subject of aliens will be considered, because, why else? It’s crazy stuff, and we will post some pictures so you can feel like you were with us.

But it’s not over yet! Our adventure will continue as we board a ship to sail to the Galapagos Islands. This unique living museum of evolutionary changes and exotic species can only be seen here in Ecuador. Best known for the giant tortoises, it will be a thrill to walk with the animals in this special place. 

If you are a traveler, watch our Good to Go Face Book page or visit our website and be with us as we explore the world.

Ahoy There!

The Good to Go Gang set out last week for New Orleans where we cruised on our home for the last seven days, the NCL Getaway. Don’t hate me, but honestly, I always hope it gets super cold while we are gone. And any ice storms that we might have to suffer? I hope they will come and go while we are in a warmer part of the world. I know that seems mean, but hey that’s the reason we head south in the winter, right?

It had been awhile since I’d had a group on a big ship. With about 4000+ passengers, it’s crazy that we would go days without seeing our people. But honestly, some of our gang we didn’t see after boarding until the next-to-last-day of the cruise!

Cruisers with lots of days on the high seas have an opinion of what class of ship they prefer. Some build up loyalty points from repeatedly cruising on the same cruise line, so perks like laundry service, early boarding and discounts come their way. If you are a numbers person, you want to look at the tonnage (size of the ship) and compare it to the number of passengers. This will tell you how crowded the boat will be. Then look at the total occupancy and number of crew members. That will tell you how the service will be. The closer crew to passenger ratio (3 to 1 vs. 6 to 1) means not standing in lines or waiting. Of course, none of this matters a bit if you are working with a certain date and dollar amount. And if that’s the case… just book that cruise and go!

In case you’ve got a cruise planned, maybe I can pass along some cruisin’ tips to get you Good to Go. Cruise lines are all a bit different, but I’ve found these apply to all I’ve been on.

1.     Cruise ships operate with a cashless system; all charges are applied to your keycard/ship ID card. You won’t need to carry a purse or wallet, so a lanyard or badge holder is a handy thing to have to keep up with that card. Of course you can buy one onboard, or take one you already own.

2.     We were delighted to find a tiny coffeemaker in our cabins on the NCL Getaway. I still suggest taking a thermal cup for hot and or cold drinks as the glass wear is really tiny and we like our big jugs of stuff to carry around. 

3.     The tourism industry is working to protect the environment for future travelers. You will see single use water bottles, plastic straws and those tiny shampoo bottles disappearing. That’s OK. It just means if you need those things, take your own.

4.     This one seems like a no brainer, but… make sure you have your luggage tagged with your name on the inside AND out. Sometimes folks borrow luggage and then the porters get very confused if the cruise tag comes off. Write your ticketed name in large letters on a secure luggage tag, then write your address small or use a address label sticker. Better, write “Address on other side” and put the address on the reverse side. This just keeps the location of the empty house less exposed.

5.     Toss in a magnet or tape. Especially handy is the clip magnets for leaving notes on your cabin door or putting your daily cruise program up to make it easy to find.

Cruising is a relaxing way to see the world. Hopefully these tips will get you Good to Go on your next seafaring adventure!

I’m Resolved

Welcome to 2020. Just the number seems mysterious, due to the popular television magazine show starring Barbara Walters. We hope and trust you had a great Christmas with family and friends and welcomed in the New Year likewise. Just as New Year’s follows Christmas, so too do failed attempts at New Year’s Resolutions follow our proclamations.

However, I, Patti Beth Anderson, am resolute in 2020 for my goals. One way to help you stay on track to achieve your goals is to begin them prior to January 1, 2020. (too late now, I know). If your goals are to

1. Read your Bible more

2. Spend more time with family

3. Lose weight

4. Make more money

Why wait? We set ourselves up for failure when we set a definite “I’m on this diet and won’t change until I lose 50 pounds!” beginning on an artificially arrived at start date. A better idea might be to start in October and see how you do when Thanksgiving and Christmas come around. That way you can hit the ground running (another great way to lose weight!) to fulfill your weight-loss resolutions.

The same applies to anything you wish to accomplish. Want to begin getting to know God better? Start reading His Word NOW.

Want to spend more time with family and friends? Start inviting them over for dinner, dominoes and conversation NOW.

Want to make more money? Begin now figuring out what you can do to increase your worth to your employer or, if you are self-employed, begin looking for newer things and ideas to market and new customers that need/want what you are selling. But do it NOW.

Even if you’re simply putting together a business plan, or a diet you can stick with, or setting aside regular time on a daily basis to read and reach out to family and friends, start NOW.

Almost all of us have attempted (and failed) at New Year’s resolutions. Why not resolve yourself to getting things in motion NOW so when 2021 comes around, you will already have a head start on them and can simplify your list by stating “I am resolved to continue what I’m doing.”

Want to travel more? Make plans NOW.

Want to lose weight? Start NOW.

Want more money? Begin saving NOW.

Realize that as you start something new, there will be setbacks, roadblocks and more to your path for success. But, if you never start, you’ll always have what your currently have. Make your resolutions, stick with them. If you “miss the mark”, don’t beat yourself up over it. Double your efforts and continue. Repeat as necessary until you achieve the goals we call “New Year’s Resolutions”. I am resolved.

Happy New Year!

Filling In The Blanks

I have a gal pal and January first is her favorite day of the year. It’s the day that she gets to hang up a new fresh calendar. She and I are still kinda old school when it comes to how we organize ourselves; we both still operate on a paper calendar for the house. It’s really a bit poetic, taking the last year down, and penciling in events in squares that will happen in the upcoming year... birthdays, anniversaries, days we don’t want to forget. The two calendars spend a tiny bit of time lying side by side on the kitchen table, transferring information that has been passed from year to year to year on new pages. We add a few dates as our family and friend circle grows, we drop a few off as dates no longer need celebrated.

Flipping through those twelve months of clean pages gives me a tiny thrill. I look back at last year and remember all the experiences that happened, trips that were planned and taken, dinners and fun stuff shared with friends that were jotted in at the last moment, meetings and commitments that repeat their occurrence to remind us where we invest our time. The plain pages of the New Year remind me of all the choices I will be blessed to make this year. Even the doctor’s appointments recall the healthy choices I did or did not make. 

I also have a paper planner that I fill in for my purse. My techie husband gets irritated with me for not using my computer and phone calendar like the rest of the modern world. I get that, and I’m trying harder to do that, but I know I will always be a paper girl. I have a couple of reasons. Number 1: When asked about a date, I can drag my little planner out and have the answer while phone people hunt and peck and click and scroll. Number 2: I like to SEE how much time I have, the same reason I don’t like digital clocks, I like to see the space, like the distance of the hands to the deadline, I like to see the squares around the date in question to SEE where in the world I am, and the time I have.

I look back at the past 356 days and note the number of blank days.

They can mean a couple of things. Either it was a day that didn’t have a memory made, or it was a day that I chose to live by laying low. I can’t be the only one that loves a good PJ pants, cup of hot tea, and movie or book day. The kind of day we recharge and rest and recover and fight the guilt of being lazy even though it’s pretty darn important to our mental health to take those time outs. Blank squares can mean either one of those sceniros. But I don’t want my empty days to be wasted, to be survived without intention.

I love inspirational quotes, and I came across this one. I’m not even positive of the source, but give it some thought:

“Never allow waiting to become a habit.
Live your dreams and take risks.
Life is happening now.” ~ Paulo Coelho 

I don’t want to float through my life like a leaf on the wind, making decisions by not making a decision. I don’t want to wait on my life to happen. I need to make each calendar square reflect the life I make and choose, not the one I wait for.

A new blank calendar is just the beginning.

Memories Topped with a Bow

As the years go by and our family changes, we lose some, we add some, around the Christmas tree. We have decided one of the best gifts we can give each other is the gift of more memories and less pressure. Grandma’s house is a generation younger. Sister makes Ma’s sausage ball recipe, but we eat them off paper plates. This year they were zip locked to-go and enjoyed in Branson as the clan did Christmas with the hundreds of other families in Branson, Missouri. 

We stayed together where we could wear our pj pants and play games. We dragged all our favorite snack foods like rice krispy treats and seasoned oyster crackers to another state and ate non-stop. We laughed with and at each other over a crazy new game that Santa brought. We pictured those we were missing and blurted out lines we knew they would be saying if they were there.

We do the mom and dad thing by paying for meals and listening for things we can do to make our children’s visit home more enjoyable. Even though our kids tower over us and are plenty big to fix their own plate, we rush to the kitchen to do it. We try to fill in the conversation gaps of the entire year without repeating ourselves too much because that’s what old people do. The tree blinks back in the corner and I blink back tears knowing time goes by too fast.

Son Caleb is in his fruit basket years. I remember mine well. I’m talking about that stretch of my life that most of my friends were married and had tots in tow. Pictures were made of these little families, but I just held a fruit basket. I got into the mom scene kinda late compared to my cohorts so I have several fruit basket pictures. It’s a real holiday game changer when the play station Santa brings has a Fisher Price brand. And the GAP jeans have “Baby” in front of the GAP. There is more Carter’s labels than Carhart. The fruit basket has been upset and Christmas will never be the same.

I loved looking at all the new little families at Silver Dollar City. Mommies and Daddies with little babes bundled up in strollers and wagons. Small faces grin and point mittens to the glittering Christmas lights. Dad’s heads are topped with Santa hats and mom’s have on shirts that promote everything from reindeer to naps. I was in line behind a little guy at breakfast and he asked me if I could guess how old he was. (I always guess high, it’s the only time in life you like that.) “twelve?” “Nope,” he bragged, “Nine and a half, I’m tall for my age.” 

I asked if he was going to Silver Dollar City, and he got wide-eyed and said, “How did you know?!” and we chatted about roller coasters and throwing up and riding with sisters until it was time to get our biscuits.

We fly through the holidays like Santa’s sleigh, from fruit baskets to roller coasters, to babies in blankets, and it all goes by in the blink of an eye....that usually has a tear attached. Enjoy the moment, and treasure the gift of the memory.