trip joy dots
*hearing an Eastern Screech Owl calling (We hear Western at home but this was the first time I'd heard an Eastern - big thrill to hear it and know what it was.)
*beautiful color along the freeways
*walking in a park on the bay with my father and stepmother and their adorable dog, who got very frisky in the grass
*a huge flock of Double-crested cormorants on a pier
*an endless stream of Tufted Titmice at a bird feeder
*walking on the beach on Cape Cod
*sandpipers!
*a shopping spree with my sister
*getting to go to my friend's Halloween party (and getting to wear a cape)
*getting fun socks at Target
*having delicious dinners served to me at my father's house

I wrote about my travel preparation before I left on this trip. The part of the trip I was concerned about was the business trip to Cape Cod. Breakfast and lunch were supposed to be provided, but I had a feeling I'd better have backup food, and I knew that my hotel room had a fridge. After I picked up my rental car, I stopped at a grocery store and bought almond milk, gluten free bread, apples and chicken salad.

The first morning of the training, I showed up for breakfast and registration and found that, just as I had suspected, breakfast was muffins, pastries and bagels. I went back to my room and took out a baggie with protein powder and mixed it with the almond milk in a blender bottle, and then had some yam cakes which I had also brought with me. That is less than I usually eat, but it did hold me until lunch. For lunch, a friend from grade school who lives on the Cape met me in the lobby and brought sandwiches. I had seen the menu from the sandwich place and was able to get one with bread that worked for me.

The next day, I got an omelet and home fries in the restaurant in the hotel. Lunch was supposed to be Italian, so I was worried that everything would be pasta, but only one of the dishes was a pasta dish and I didn't have to use my backup food. I had dinner in the hotel restaurant both nights and that worked out well.

For the flight home, I had to get up at 3:30 AM. I made a shake with the second serving of protein powder I had brought and the leftover almond milk, and ate the last of the yam cakes. I made 3 chicken salad sandwiches, and I had those and apples throughout the morning of travel. Maybe not my best food, but planning ahead and bringing backup food averted any food crises.

The training ended early on Tuesday, so I had time to go for a walk on the beach before leaving Cape Cod. It was heaven! I am not a sunbathing with a huge crowd kind of person. I am a walk on the beach and have it mostly to myself kind of person, and that is what happened. I did get to greet a couple of dogs. I really enjoyed watching the sandpipers racing in and out with the waves.

On the flight home, as we were over Albuquerque, I saw the golden ribbon of cottonwood trees along the Rio Grande. On the drive home, there were glowing yellow trees against bright blue sky. All in all, a lovely 5 days.

Allison