I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Medigal, I love the way you write. As far as traveled/travelled my Webster's says either is right but then again I live near Canada and have traveled/travelled enough to be comfortable with either, and my spellcheck agrees.

Medigal, I just finished reading your post.  Sounds like there's a little sarcasms there?  We still cannot afford to travel.  Is that okay.  We do make it to Charlotte to see our girls and gks.  We also make it to Durham so I can see my onc.  Hopefully we'll one day make it back to San Antonio.  Health problems to BECOME a problem.  Have a nice day.

An interesting article about Ronald Reagan that was published in the Seattle Times last week-

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014124857_reagancenter04.html

Here is a section of the article: 

 "But Reagan is sometimes misunderstood, adopted for causes or ideas that don't dovetail neatly with his record in office.

He is seen as an apostle of lower taxes, but he supported what was then the largest tax increase in California history when he served as governor, from 1967 to 1975.

Cutting deals with Democratic leaders in Congress, he slashed and raised taxes during his White House days.

The debt held by the public climbed on his watch: from $712 billion in 1980 to $2 trillion in 1988, and he never presented a balanced budget to Congress during his eight years in office.

Remembered for a massive military buildup, he also proposed abolishing nuclear weapons.

Known for traditional, Christian values, he was divorced and remarried and, according to his son's book, received a D in a college course on Christ's life.

He's often embraced by conservatives who want to see Social Security privatized, yet Reagan blessed a 1982 Social Security commission's blueprint for solvency that generated almost three decades of surpluses.

Conservative bristle at proposals to provide amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants, but a 1986 law signed by Reagan established a one-year amnesty program for illegal immigrants who had been in the United States at least four years. An estimated 2.7 million people took advantage."

I just thought it was interesting how he has become a myth, and no longer a man in the right's eyes.

Mary 

My seven kids were always my priority and they had all of their needs met. We travelled a lot in this country. My family is over 1000 miles from here and My Dad would never travel anywhere even to come see us so we went to see him every year or two before he died. My husband's family is four hours away and we see them 3 or 4 times a year. I haven't been to Europe since I was a kid but I don't know if I want to go back.

We all choose the things we want to do in this life and the only way anyone's choice is wrong is is she is not satisfied with it. 

I am so happy to have all my kids and grandkids and a big bonus is that they all live fairly close to us. My life is full of blessings.

Edited to add: I went to work when my youngest went to school.

Oh holy crap............I have been spelling my name the Canadian way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

shok

Shirley:  I had hoped you would notice I started off my reply to you "With a bit of humor".  I was not trying to be sarcastic.Let's get one thing straight for all those who may have misunderstood my post. Just because traveling became an obsession to be due to my personal experience with that photo, it does not mean  I think everyone has to travel.  I have a relative who I adore and respect so much but he and his wife did not feel the need to travel like I did.  They are very happy in the choices they have made for their lives together.  Traveling is not everyone's "cup of tea" and sometimes it has nothing to do with money.  It's just not a priority with them.  That is the reason I tried to make it clear "why" I had to travel so much and made it a condition of whether I would even marry or not.  I know it isn't the normal way to do things but I have never been known for following the fold when it comes to normalacy.  

I did not have to send my kids to private school.  One has a genius IQ and I have NO idea where she got that from!  She could have gone for free to any school or college she choose.  The other is normal but quite different in the way I am and I gave them the educations they preferred.  I would never have budgeted away their educations.  I feel our children should be top priority and traveling should always be secondary to taking care of them.  I was fortunate because I learned how to manage our finances in a way which allowed me to do both.  Most people would not want to sacrifice the things I did in order to find my mountain but it came with the full cooperation of DP and we never wanted for anything.  It was like something was helping me to make this obsession a reality.  I know I would not have married DP if he had said he hated traveling.  I made sure all my ducks were in a row before I started off on my mission.  I don't regret any thing I had to deny myself to make it a reality.  I also made sure my mission did not cause my family to be denied anything they needed or wanted.

So Shirley, if you don't want to travel or still can't afford to please don't think I was being sarcastic with you.  You made the right decisons for your life as I think I did with mine.  Once I had two children, I, too, never believed I could make my dream a reality on the finances I had to work with.I took a course on Money Management for $3.00 and my entire future changed!  So let's not let this traveling issue cause a strife.  You should do in life what you feel your mission is and traveling is not something everyone enjoys.   Have a nice day ladies!

Lassie..now, I could be wrong, but.i am thinking she was making a little joke:)

You know bluester...........why is it that we have to buy a majority of oil from you guys???????........our number one foreign importer for oil is Canada??????................I think its a conspiracy.............let's be realistic...........it's all the same freaking Continent......you guys came up with the idea of the EPA didn't you??????........admit it..........

 yeah the Canadians are sitting around the hockey rink and thinking let's convince those stupid Americans that it is just immoral to drill for oil because of all the wildlife will be hurt.........we will get Al Gore to help us........he will do anything for money...........and then we will do all the drilling we want even out of the oil shell reserves that are actually part of American's reserve and we will sell them their own freaking oil............

We on the right know what you guys are up to........just so you know................shok

Blue- your kid is absolutely beautiful.

Oooh!  Are the Mounties about to invade???

When we moved to the States and the various health issues started negatively impacting our ability to travel, I had to be creative in providing a vacation for my two youngest children.  We had had an extremely stressful year, my oldest was in Edmonton visiting her grandparents, and I felt we really needed a break.  My employer gave me the time off, I packed up the car, and drove them to Topsail Island, NC.  We stayed in a tent, I cooked fresh prawns and veggies over the campfire, and the kids still talk about that being one of the best vacations we have ever taken. 

I am so glad you were able to find your mountain, Medigal!  Since bc, I am far more aware of living in the moment, and not putting off the things I really want to do.  I simply can not understand why travelling or not, or working or not, would be a contentious issue.  We all have the right to make choices in our lives, and should respect others rights to live their lives differently.  What should be important is holding onto our dreams, and finding our joy in life.

Your daughter is gorgeous! My youngest daughter has a degree in costume design.  I genuinely hope both of our daughters find success in their chosen fields.

Blue, you're DD is absolutely gorgeous!  But you knew that already. 

I was so angry when Obama took office and the kids in the D.C. private schools had their vouchers taken away.  They were doing so well.  The schools in D.C. are horrible!  I really do not know why the vouchers were taken away...I need to look that one up. 

Blue, the unions do not want vouchers given to students.  They do not want Charter schools. There are very few Charter schools.  It would take money away from the schools where the unionized teachers teach.

Blue-what a beautiful daughter. Inside and out.

Mary