Grasping the Elusive Dream
Viewing comments for Chapter 17 "Scheduled Stress"The Followup to Chasing the Elusive Dream
35 total reviews
Comment from Mary Vigasin
Migraines can immobilize you. I guess that stress and lack of planning helped bring on Evan's illness and four kids. Under stress yourself, you did manage to pull things together.
The Colorado trip sounded wonderful, where everyone was relaxed.
Best wishes,
Mary
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2023
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Migraines can immobilize you. I guess that stress and lack of planning helped bring on Evan's illness and four kids. Under stress yourself, you did manage to pull things together.
The Colorado trip sounded wonderful, where everyone was relaxed.
Best wishes,
Mary
Comment Written 01-Aug-2023
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2023
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Thank you Mary. Yes, I'm sure my husband's headaches wee related to stress.
Beth
Comment from Faith Williams
Men are such babies when it comes to vacations. All my husband does is drive as well, and everything else is up to me. He too complained one year that there wasn't enough 'planning.' I informed him it was my vacation too, and he was free to plan away. Just don't forget the kids. And when we're going to eat. And where. And what we're going to do every day. He never mentioned it again.
Suggestions to consider:
There is some tense shifting happening in this story. You start out in past tense, but this sentence moves to present tense, 'Since my spouse seeks to avoid as much conflict as possible, driving is generally the lesser of the evils.' I suggest making it past tense.
We've never tried that kind of vacation before. I'm not sure my husband would be up for it. It sure does sound interesting. Thanks for sharing, Beth.
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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Men are such babies when it comes to vacations. All my husband does is drive as well, and everything else is up to me. He too complained one year that there wasn't enough 'planning.' I informed him it was my vacation too, and he was free to plan away. Just don't forget the kids. And when we're going to eat. And where. And what we're going to do every day. He never mentioned it again.
Suggestions to consider:
There is some tense shifting happening in this story. You start out in past tense, but this sentence moves to present tense, 'Since my spouse seeks to avoid as much conflict as possible, driving is generally the lesser of the evils.' I suggest making it past tense.
We've never tried that kind of vacation before. I'm not sure my husband would be up for it. It sure does sound interesting. Thanks for sharing, Beth.
Comment Written 22-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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Thank you so much Faith. I wrote this an long time ago while my husband was still alive and some of it was present tense. I tried to change to past but I just I missed some. Thanks for pointing that out.
Beth
Comment from Anne Johnston
You did a great job on this story. It is always frustrating traveling with children, and it looks like you learned it was better to just take it as it came, and not try to plan ahead. My husband was the planner, and the driver, and we usually were able to keep on schedule.
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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You did a great job on this story. It is always frustrating traveling with children, and it looks like you learned it was better to just take it as it came, and not try to plan ahead. My husband was the planner, and the driver, and we usually were able to keep on schedule.
Comment Written 22-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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Thank you. again. I never tried to plan but the one trip. I found it frustratiing when my plans went off course. LOL.
Beth
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You are welcome, Beth.
Comment from Bill Schott
Vacations are a problem for everyone, but your examples here are incredibly stressful. Wow! So glad you worked out a family method that worked out and left a neat memory.
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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Vacations are a problem for everyone, but your examples here are incredibly stressful. Wow! So glad you worked out a family method that worked out and left a neat memory.
Comment Written 22-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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Thank you Bill. Both trips are family vacations that won't be easily forgotten.
Beth
Comment from Spitfire
You sound like my daughter-in-law who recently planned a whole trip to Europe with scheduled stops, etc. I think freelancing it would be more fun and so did my husband. Traveling with young children is much easier now as they can busy themselves with iphones!
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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You sound like my daughter-in-law who recently planned a whole trip to Europe with scheduled stops, etc. I think freelancing it would be more fun and so did my husband. Traveling with young children is much easier now as they can busy themselves with iphones!
Comment Written 21-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 22-Jul-2023
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Thanks again. Yes, I happier just letting it happen. I get frustrated when plans go wrong and they usually do.
Beth
Comment from jim vecchio
Another entry worthy of six stars if I had them! This was a very smooth, interesting read. It's amazing how well you and your family "navigate" together despite illness and minor differences.
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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Another entry worthy of six stars if I had them! This was a very smooth, interesting read. It's amazing how well you and your family "navigate" together despite illness and minor differences.
Comment Written 21-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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Thank you again Jim. Our family was a long way from perfect but everything usually worked out.
Betj
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Ironically, I just received five e-mails full of videos from my family's past of happier times. Wish I had some interesting stories like yours to tell.
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I think everyone life is full of stories. Real life stories are my favorites. I'll bet you remember some things worth telling.
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The older I get, the less I feel I have to tell sometimes!
Comment from Ben Colder
It is the way we did it. We just rode until we become happy with what we saw and stayed in the best of motels. I can truly understand Evan's feelings at the time. Another good one, Beth.
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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It is the way we did it. We just rode until we become happy with what we saw and stayed in the best of motels. I can truly understand Evan's feelings at the time. Another good one, Beth.
Comment Written 21-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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Thank you again. After we didn't have so many children to travel with and Evan retired, he did migrains any more.
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I think Korea played a part with his problem
Comment from lyenochka
I remember what you shared about that nightmare of a "well planned" trip. I think it says a lot about you and your family to be able to make the most of a situation and even learn from bad experiences. Enjoyed your retelling of the contrast of two trips.
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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I remember what you shared about that nightmare of a "well planned" trip. I think it says a lot about you and your family to be able to make the most of a situation and even learn from bad experiences. Enjoyed your retelling of the contrast of two trips.
Comment Written 21-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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Thank you Helen. I sure an organized person like you wouldn't have that problem. Carol is very organized so she can plan her trips but I if I make plans I don't like it when they go off the rail.
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If you saw my desktop right now, you wouldn't call me organized! I just pack like a boy scout with everything I could possibly need, except for extra gasoline...
Comment from barbara.wilkey
I do completely understand. When we travel, I do make hotel reservations in advance. Once while on vacation all the nearby hotels were books, didn't make that mistake again. I enjoyed reading.
By the next day, his pain had somewhat subsided, (following day)
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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I do completely understand. When we travel, I do make hotel reservations in advance. Once while on vacation all the nearby hotels were books, didn't make that mistake again. I enjoyed reading.
By the next day, his pain had somewhat subsided, (following day)
Comment Written 21-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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Thank you Barbara. Once we were on a camping trip that included New York. We did camp in upstate NY but when we were in the city we couldn't even find a motel that wasn't booked. We spent the night sleeping in the Van in a motel parking lot.
Beth
Comment from Wendy G
Love your story! I feel for him and I feel for you!! Perhaps a shorter driving time and a longer stay at a picturesque relatively close destination might have suited him better. The "organised" one sounds like a horror story (funny in retrospect but not at the time) but I am glad he was willing to try again and that turned into a wonderful time with good memories. Fun piece - thanks for sharing.
Wendy
Typo: "or whatever. as long as ..." (comma needed)
"It's too far back" I protested. (comma after "back")
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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Love your story! I feel for him and I feel for you!! Perhaps a shorter driving time and a longer stay at a picturesque relatively close destination might have suited him better. The "organised" one sounds like a horror story (funny in retrospect but not at the time) but I am glad he was willing to try again and that turned into a wonderful time with good memories. Fun piece - thanks for sharing.
Wendy
Typo: "or whatever. as long as ..." (comma needed)
"It's too far back" I protested. (comma after "back")
Comment Written 21-Jul-2023
reply by the author on 21-Jul-2023
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Thank you Wendy. After the kids got older and he retired he stopped having those headaches on trips. It might have worked better if he didn't do all the driving the first day, but that was his decision. Thanks for pointing out the comma problems.
Beth