Deborah Shirreffs:  

Wow, 2023 is coming to an end! Where did the time go?? Not a whole lot of travel this year...since buying a home in Idaho, I've become a homebody again..ALTHOUGH...I went on a 20 day road trip with my brother to spread the ashes of our mother and dear sister, Darlene...we started in Idaho to Tahoe to visit friends, then to see my daughter in Mammoth Lakes, down to So. Cal- then headed back up home via Calif Coast, Oregon and Washington to see my niece and her husband- then home...long drive, but worth every minute. Great to reconnect with the bro and spend some quality time with him....THEN...I snuck in a short cruise out of New York with my friend Mary (I've known her since we were 10!) and went up the East Coast and into Nova Scotia. I had hoped to see some great fall colors, but unfortunately, they Haden't had a real cold snap yet, so even though the colors were beautiful, they weren't vibrant. Great trip, though.....I've come to the conclusion I really don't like big cities- New York, Boston...you can have 'em! A couple of weeks later, I left on a short trip to Maui- Had an ocean front room, just steps from the sand....spent most of the time enjoying the view from the lanai with a drink with a little umbrella in hand! Did take time to go on a whale watch (yes, I saw LOTS of whales, even if it wasn't whale season yet) and went on an evening sail....Ah, nothing like a Maui sunset! The devastation from the fire was horrible, but the attitude of the people is so positive and they have certainly pulled together! If you get a chance, GO! Support the people that have lost so much! Ok, here we go again! I signed back up with Classmates.......FINALLY, I am going on my cruise to Greece!!! (I just snuck in an additional cruise to Tahiti in June/July and it was AMAZING!! Now I'm going on the trip I had planned just before covid hit...but have added quite a bit more to the itinerary. Starting out in Munich and going to Oktoberfest, then to Rome to catch a 12 day cruise to the Greek Islands and Turkey...back to Rome and then off to Strasbourg, Vienna (where we will get to see the Lipazzan horses perform!), Halstadt, Zermatt and Zurich...then, sadly, home. It's been a long time coming, but this is 5 week trip will be one to remember, I'm sure! Coronavirus SUCKS! Had to cancel my Maui trip and I have a strong feeling that the Greece cruise out of Rome will be cancelled (as you know Italy has been hit hard) We have been ordered to self quarantine...all casinos are closed as well as most restaurants, (even for take out). I have made the decision to cancel my subscription to Classmates so if you would like to get in touch with me, you can find me on FACEBOOK. I may resubscribe in the future, but for now, I'm out! Happy days! 2020 has started on a positive note- 2 trips already planned: March: I will travel to Tacoma Washington to visit my niece for 5 days, then I'll arrive home and the next dayI'm off to Maui for a week! Then in May I will be leaving on a 10 day cruise to the Greek islands on the Celebrity Edge- it's their newest ship! Balcony room!!! After the cruise, I'm off to Switzerland and Austria- again! LOVED those countries, so there will be more exploring!! Sucks to be me, huh? NOT!! If I were to talk to my high school self, I never would have thought that I would be traveling this much and enjoying life like I am now. VERY blessed!! Thanksgiving 2019 is just a few days away. I have a lot to be thankful for! This year has been a long one for me. It’s almost a year ago on November 26, 2018, that my dear sister passed away, exactly one month after her 71st birthday, she was on her birthday cruise in Singapore. It was a sudden and unexpected death which has thrown me for a loop this past year. I am so thankful and so lucky to have had her as a sister! She was brilliant and she was my best friend. It is been a lonely year because we talked almost every day via FaceTime, her in the UK and me in Lake Tahoe. I received the news while I was on Maui but fortunately my daughter and her boyfriend were with me and gave me some much-needed comfort... I am slowly learning to cope with ...Expand for more