The Gifts of Family and Travel

Hersh Goldberg-Polin was supposed to leave 

on a worldwide trip on December 27, 2023.

Because he is being held hostage in Gaza 

he was unable to go - at this time.

As you look at my travelogue photos 

lift up Hersh. He was to fly to India first.

I've been to India - twice!

I so want this young man to see its beauty!

He needs to be released so he can enjoy 

the gifts of family and travel.

BRING HERSH HOME!

BRING THEM 

ALL

HOME NOW!

All I want is PEACE.

This Christmas I made a button peace sign ornament. 

Listening to LPs soothes me. 

I have been very emotional 

thinking about Gaza

and about the hostages. 

When I wash my dishes I think, 

they don't have water in Gaza,

do the hostages have water?

When I am under my electric blanket 

I think, are the families warm enough 

in their tent dwellings, displaced from their homes?

Are the hostages warm? When will this war end?

And the war in Ukraine keeps on raging.

I am so disappointed in world leaders.

Stop with the greed and violence!

My blogs do not have many photos of my family or friends.

But feel free to message me - via text or @blessedpen32 on Instagram.

I'll show you pics of my grand-bundle of joy and peeps.

I put on Sesame Street and Winnie the Pooh LPs 

and it caused this cutie to dance and march around.

So much energy!

So many smiles!

I am grateful. 

I was supposed to visit a friend last year

but I injured my knee so I rescheduled

making sure I could still see a play he was directing.

I was in this area of Colorado in 2014.

I can't believe it's been that long since I visited

and savored the mountain laced sunsets from their doorstep.

From my friends' windows they can see 

multiple mountain ranges

and multiple states.

I love flying.

And recently I was blessed with some 

monetary rewards due to overbooked flights.

This trip was different.

I experienced tons of delays and plane issues

causing me to be stuck in an airport 

for hours with no sure flight home.

So,

I made some new friends!

Playing Heads Up 

LOUDLY in a small airport

with four ladies you've just met

after all eating "Purgatory Burgers"

is HELLaciously fun.

We all arrived in Dallas around midnight

and had hotel rooms with free breakfast.

It certainly could have been worse.

I wish I could have played cornhole with the airport staff.

Or driven this superhero-like red baggage handling vehicle. 

But let me get back to my trip.

Here is my tour guide, Echo. 

All plans were arranged by him.

Hikes were 20 minutes in, 20 minutes out.

Food was eaten while standing up 

or at a tall kitchen counter island.

Play time was all time and if something is in your hand

it's considered a toy. Even a snotty tissue.

I did understand most of the doggy details before arriving.

Honestly, look at those eyes.

They hypnotize you into service.

We own quite a bit of my friend's artwork, 

but not these landscape types.

One of these paintings is of the park where my friend

took me for walks because she had

busted me for being thin, but out of shape.

I am glad she called me out.

I ended up doing a Grand Canyon hike

and the Nike and Nashville 1/2 marathons 

with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

only because of her advocacy.   

Since my last visit they built a beautiful barn.

Sadly the two horses I met before have now passed.

The production at the school was amazing.

The students ranged in age from grade school to seniors.

The sets, costumes, lighting, and sound effects were 

all created with their input and labor. 

The play was set as a radio show production 

and many of the cast members played multiple characters, 

often differing in gender and age. Their adaptations

of facials and voice tone were fabulous.

I loved giving them kudos after the show and

really enjoyed discussing the show with my friend the next day.

Having raised an actor I have critiqued the many details

that go into a production and loved hearing background information.

We hiked at the Canyon of the Ancients.

I was there about a decade ago.

It's amazing how little changes in this type of environment.

I also forgot how wonderfully SUNNY it is in Colorado.

There was a change in the small town though.

One of the HS students has created a 

free book exchange outside the local market.

I met his mother at the play and she was proud to share

that most of the books he furnishes are those that

are being banned around the country.

There was some snow on the ground in places.

What amused me the most was the slush and brown dirt 

on vehicles. The mail truck I saw was filthy with road splatter. 

I also spotted this tractor to snap a photo of for a friend.

My friend has a brown dog.

There's a Brown Dog Pizza in Telluride. 

So we went there.

Makes sense to me.

We went there in October during another

trip I made and I loved seeing the seasonal

differences as we drove there. 

It's so funny to see people walking around in ski boots

and a display of bedazzled ski boots in a jewelry store. 

The sun was blasting some icicles that rained sparkles 

of chilly water, splattering heads and dripping into necklines.

We also spent some time (and money) in Durango.

I got daisy embroidered jeans and a 

jazzy top at two resale shops and some 

Christmas presents at boutiques. 

When I got back home I was sick with a cold or flu

or just plain EW for over a week.

I was not happy about it.

Then my family arrived and I was so glad to be well

and able to go on walks at the beach and the Chicago Botanic Gardens.

But, sadly my family took home germs from either me 

or the places they went because when they returned home, they got sick.

Bummer. 

It was especially sad that a dear friend recently got Covid.

She's doing fine now.

While my family was together we played games.

This doodling one I used to play with the youth group

where I was an advisor. It's hilarious to see what 

misunderstandings happen as you try to draw a word. 

Cultural differences even caused confusion because of the 

differing terminology used for a item. 

I gave sentimental gifts of t-shirts 

purchased ate a favorite Ohio restaurant

where our kids had the 99 cent 

meal special once a week. 

Those were the days!

I snuck these items onto our bill 

when my husband, son and I dined there in October

and hid them until Christmas.

I made sure there was cocoa here 

but it was mostly rainy and mild.

We dined in the city a few times.

I am such a city girl and the holiday

lights make Michigan Ave really sparkle. 

I was able to go on many walks around the area.

My knee is doing okay, but I am a bit nervous 

about the upcoming icy conditions.

See the leaf heart?

I love spying this type of hidden treat.

Our daughter gave the family Disney Plus 

for a present and l love their original documentaries,

especially inspirational ones about youth.

Audio books and podcasts continue to keep my mind churning. 

I finished reading this nonfiction book my daughter 

gave me as a birthday present. (I read so slow...)

It's got me excited about next month's trip!!!

I was able to relax playing Rummikube.

I do not normally watch football 

and the Cotton Bowl reminded me why.

I enjoyed drinking hot tea in my AUSTIN memorabilia mug

and ate too much of the buttery carrot casserole leftovers.

I was given some COOL earrings and some beautiful stationary 

that makes me want to travel...

I got some hip tunes on LP and an incense holder and incense 

to make the listening more jivey.  

Some beautiful family made art flew into my life. 

I did a lot of dish washing this holiday,

but not of a pot this coolieo.

I entered a photo contest online - and won!

Maybe I'll go back and buy these items.

I like gifts and gift giving.

I do.

But I really, really, really, really

REALLY

just want 

PEACE.

Peace be with all of you.

May this new year bring you joy.

Thanks for traveling through 2023 with me.

Jen Pen