Sunday, November 27, 2011

TIME GOES BY....

Wow..last blog was June! Gracious! I am either getting very lazy or have just been too busy! Fact is, we have been busy...and Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines can prove it!

JULY....We grabbed LONDON for a week..before heading out on the seas to the Baltic areas of Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, and Gothenburg...for 3131 nautical miles...before returning to London for another week of food, fun, plays and "tourist-ing!" Home to SANDESTIN to start out August, but not for long....on the road again, back to London...and then touring throughout the United Kingdom, touching Wales and heading also into Scotland...a whirlwind trip but so enjoyable and, again, we love "tourist-ing!" FInally, SANDESTIN in October, and you would have thought we would stay put...but...no...Norwegian EPIC was calling us to the Caribbean and its sights for a week's duration. Quite a ship! We look forward to the opportunity to compare it to the Royal Caribbean Oasis that we will be enjoying with our family this spring.

Finally...Home Sweet Home (why even our "LC" cat is wondering if we still live here with him!

Enjoyed three-fourths of the family over the Thanksgiving Pre-week and holiday...with the Phillips (KImberly, Jeff, Logan and Carter) coming down to Sandestin for the week....the Marlows (Kelly, Matt and Molly...their four-legged lover Lab!) staying with us....and the Wades (Barbara, Eric, Abby, Reagan and Blaire...the latter now at 1-1/2 years) coming in for a Thanksgiving Day get-together. We truly did miss the Akins Duo (Robyn and John) who now have their home in Highlands Ranch outside of Denver (they celebrated Thanksgiving with his parents in person...and her family in spirit).

Now, the front is quieting a little...but not for long....JIm and Jan have a dance contest on the horizon, trip to Gadsden (the old home town!), and then up to Saint Louis to enjoy Christmas, as the Phillips invited us for this year (as we ventured out for a first and spend last Christmas with the newly-married Akins in Colorado). Who knows? This Wandering Wallace Duo might be setting a precedence to travel far and wide for the holidays...and then again, maybe not!

Ah..nothing like updating life in the fast lane...at least for those over 60!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Summer Fun Has Begun!

Summertime FUN for the Wandering Wallaces began in May!

The first part of May found us in Saint Louis sharing time with the families of two of our daughters...first, Kimberly's family where we not only joined Logan and Carter in many activities, but also Jan joined Kimberly and Kelly for a night of Dream DInners...prepping dinners for the week for the Phillips fam. What fun! Leaving the prepping and the Phillips behind us, we headed second to Kelly and Matt's home...one of the dinners there was Manicotti's restaurant family style..yummy! It was at Kelly's home that we had a Mothers' Day brunch...and I was honored with the best of them!

Leaving Saint Louis, we headed to Daleville...to enjoy the company of yet another daughter, Barbara, and celebrate the First Birthdays of Reagan and Blaire...big party time outdoors and indoors for "the smiling duo"...with picnic eating and more presents than one could count (though Abby tried!) We then enjoyed "life with a four-year-old" for a week, as we took Abby to our house....and kept her going, going, going! I think she did a month's worth of living in six days...I know we did!

Once we returned to our "duo" status back home...we hopped on an airplane and headed to Denver to not only celebrate a Memorial Day get-together with John and our daughter, Robyn, but also to enjoy their company and see their new "hone/apt" in the city of Denver! Perfect "digs" for them...and right in the heart of things! The patio "room" was to die for, as the weather could not be beat!

June arrived in Sandestin..and so did we...just in time to enjoy DIva Fran and Steve's company at our home....finally, they took us up on the invite! Had a SUPER time with them...doing, talking, going, sleeping, just "being"...and even a night of Dancing with the Stars....seeing the pros dance and getting their autographs. Have to say...I think Fran was in her element and glory!

No sooner did we bid the Pearsons "adieu," but the Phillips family was down for a week of fun in our sun! And what a whirlwind week! Carter managed to "start" swimming, while Logan learned the breast, back and butterfly strokes, as well as some life-guarding steps. A first was enjoyed by all...a morning on a pontoon boat! What fun...and we managed to see jets overhead, dolphins swimming next to us, blow-up rides in the water...and rab Island, up close and personal! The "boys" even managed some deep-sea fishing (and loads of snapper!) while Kimberly and I forced ourselves to enjoy the spa! What a week!

Reality set in quickly...as they left on Sunday and by Monday and Tuesday Jim and Jan were dentist-bound for root canals and crown placements; setting up car servicing and trying to schedule some dancing before we are "on the road again!" This has been a wonderful summer, so far...and as the song goes...WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

SYDNEY...BEAUTIFUL SYDNEY

March 24 (start of Australia's autumn)...18 days at sea over...Rhapsody docks at Sydney...and another Wallace Adventure begins!

No sooner did we dock and get to our hotel, but we were on the move...walking back to City Center and Darling Harbour...breakfasted dockside with the view of the Darling Harbour bridge and the Sydney Opera House...mere steps away! The bridge was an "outing" for some brave souls who actually "paid" $300 to walk up it to the middle and then back down...height, winds and and all. This twosome stayed grounded...we breakfasted dockside...the eggs may not have given us the "hen" but did open our eyes to costs...$50 and counting! Then we ferried over to the "the other side" of Sydney to get to the Taronga zoo and a guided tour that awaited us (Come to find out that "guided tours" are the ONLY way to enjoy the sites..whether about or stateside! )
Even managed to see a kookaburra..and he was not a zoo animal...just flyin' through! After our tour we headed back to the hotel to plan our evening out...dinner at Sydney Tower (at 305 meters high it is the tallest structure in all of Australia!) Would you believe "kangaroo steaks" and a waiter who explained ALL the sights throughout the rotation of the tower. Next morning we hiked to the Sydney Aquarium (for another guided tour) and an op to feed the rays and sharks! A leggo-ed King Neptune and his retinue decorated the aquarium (courtesy of the Chinese!) Jim saw his platypus...and he was stoked! It was real! It does exist (just in case you too wondered!) After seeing the aquatic sights, we "looped" Sydney on its monorail before stopping at The Rocks (Sydney's oldest village on its rocky shoreline)...to board the city's only authentic 220 tons timber tall ship...the Southern Swan...It was back to 1858 from crew dress, jargon, and sailing maneuvers. We did sail around the harbour, under the bridge, and even under the architectural feat of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Corps) where an Australian flag flies on one side and a New Zealand on the other. what a sail we had...and then a most memorable walk back to the hotel to prepare for our final night in the city...a trip to the Sydney Opera House to see the theatre's play "In The Next Room...or the Vibrator Play"....let your imaginations run with this one, and you probably would not be far form the plot! We laughed and laughed! It was great! And seeing it in the "73 architectural magnificence was even greater! Wow!

What a whirlwind time we had in Sydney...3 days and we did so very much...then it was time to pack it in and head stateside..13 hours again on the blessed 777! What a trip! What a ride! WHAT AN ADVENTURE BY THE WANDERING WALLACES!

MARCH 2011 - CRUISIN' DOWN UNDER

March 3...flyin' 777 First Class to Sydney, Australia...then on to Perth...and onto RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS (RCL Style!) on March 6...The Wandering Wallaces experience Australia and New Zealand...and both countries become new Wallace World Wonders! (At this rate we shall be done with our Bucket List in 1 year!) Learned many things on this trip...one, always fly First Class when you are on a plane for 13 hours! The flight was wonderful...sleep, food, sleep, food, TV, sleep, food...etc! Local flight took us to Perth (another 6 hours....that is ONE BIG COUNTRY!) There we learned a second lesson...even if conservative in life, walk LEFT, drive LEFT, cross LEFT when south of the equator in this neck of the woods! We walked Perth, inside and out, and even enjoyed a "King Jack" Aussie style...a Burger King their way! Then, onto our personal "Rhapsody"...and this one DID happen! Wine Tasted in Bunbury and throughout Australia...as Jim does little to join the "Winos of the World"...I certainly did my part and "tested" all wines...for the TWO of us! We experienced the wonderful people and places of Australia...with Bunbury, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne on our agenda....as well as Burnie and Hobart in the Australian island state of Tazmania. Then traveling further south we entered the beautiful "sounds" of New Zealand....as well as the land of Dunedin, Akaroa (in lieu of Christchurch which was reeling from its earthquake damage), and Wellington...The "cruise circle" was complete when we landed in Sydney, disembarked, and enjoyed that wonderful city for a few more days (blogged next, to be sure!)

This was truly a life experience as we not only explored different sights...but experienced different wildlife also...from feeding the calf and sheering the sheep...getting up-close-and-personal with the seals on our 8-wheeled Otago off-road travels...petting the koalas, feeding them eucalyptus, watching them sleep, and sleep, and sleep...checking out the "Littlest Devil" of Disney renown (Tasmanian Devil)...eyeing a "joeying" within his kanga pouch...seeking the world's only albatross nesting spot...seeing "for real" the elusive platypus with its concoction of body parts...daring a dingo to "howl"...feasting on the beautiful colored hues of the peacock...calculating the size of the adult, flightless emu...and viewing the sights "of the beyond" where the next stop would be Antarctica (numbered on the Bucket List of the Future to be sure!)

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Well, January 2011 came...and went....and the snow came down in February! THE "F'S" SOUNDED LOUDLY IN FEBRUARY too...with a week at the Phillips in Saint Louis and a weekend at Freddy Ball In St. Augustine, Florida.

Fact is, we were set to drive to St. Louis, but apparently God had other plans as He repeatedly dumped snow on the Midwest...time after time again and again. Snow, ice, cold...the whole nine yards was what February was all about...so, flying became the best means to an end. And fly we did....to stay with Logan (6) and Carter (4-1/2), our never-say-tired Phillips' grandsons as Mom and Dad Phillips hit the Caribbean for a week on NCL EPIC. Though I am certain the latter duo had a ball with just a twosome...the week for the former duo was not too shabby either. We kept those boys hopping...through the day and into the night (Billy Boy stories abounded nightly, getting longer and longer!) Thankfully, snow and ice did NOT strike while we were in St. Louis...so we had some side trips (the Magic House, the Transportation Museum), a birthday party for Carter to enjoy, Valentine's Day box creations and festivities (with Papa Doc and Gramercy hosting games at Carter's school on valentine's Day and then lunching with Logan on another day at his school), enjoying the spring-like weather ( a natural for us, but a real treat for those boys!) We had a wonderful time, but do not think for a moment that we weren't tickled pink to pick up "Mom and Dad" at the airport and allow us to "chill without responsibilities" for a day...I do believe we could have slept the whole day away and not be any of the wiser for it!

Headed back down to our home for only a few days' rest before filling up the Subaru and heading southeast to St. Augustine.
Apparently our dance instructors (Katie and Jesse) must have convinced us in a moment of weakness to enter competitions in The Freddy Ball...so it was a FIRST for us..and we came away with the honors! In the southeast we were the Amateur Dancing Couple in both smooth and rhythm dances...that would be waltz, fox trot and tango for smooth...and rumba, cha-cha and east coast swing for rhythm! (Bet some of you didn't know this Wallace Duo had it in them! Fooled you!) We danced so much in three days that I thought our feet would fall off...but, they didn't! Instead, we carted up our trophies, medals and other commemorative pieces and headed home....for a break of two days before we were heading out again..this time..with Australia and New Zealand in our sights! Ya know..we are truly the "Wandering Wallaces!" and lovin' it!

Well, leave it to a Wallace (aka Akins)...that would be Robyn...to advise me that the Wandering Wallace blog is l-o-n-g overdue for an update. I tracked to the site and, sure enough, I ended 2010 with a bang but apparently have not stopped long enough to add and amend 2011...so...the Wandering Wallaces are doing so as we type...might just take about an entry with pics per month...

so...JANUARY 2011...greeted the New Year with pomp and panache at Tommy Bahamas..dressed to the nines, dancing, drinking, eating and giving 2011 a welcome we shall remember into 2012! Then off to the VIRGIN ISLANDS and YEAR TWO of bare-boat solo sailing with Captain Jim and First Mate Jan! Started the adventure at Secret Harbor in St. Thomas...and it is secret! ("Heaven" not to be shared with any!) Then boarded PARADISO, in its 40 feet glory, for seven days of sailing the Virgin Island waters and checking out the islands themselves. My "Capitan of the Dingy" learned the ins and outs of the small craft in the 12 preceding months so that we were able to disembark this year at islands of interest without one of us in fear of losing our lives (namely me!). We even managed to dock at two British Virgin Islands...and you can see our celebratory cheer at Joust Van Dyke, for one. We did celebrate the "two-sies" and "five-sies" (a European declaration of panache, to be sure!) with our wine and cheeses as we settled in for the night, bouyed up, and chillin' to our CD strains, conversation and lulling waters (no TV, no phones, no computes!). Course, Jim did try a "Mast Dance" for his First Mate! Not sure the hilarious laugher was the response he was hoping to elicit! What a delightful trip we had...have to say I cooked scrumptious meals; Jim readily heeled the boat to his satisfaction; we both enjoyed shared company; and we seemed saddened to "call it a week" for another year.

Once home, we traveled to see the Wades in Enterprise and hug those growing GRAND-daughters we are so blessed to have...Abby ready to turn 4 in February, and Blaire and Reagan rounding into 8 months of glorious living...the Wades had moved to a bigger homestead in Enterprise, and we were most delighted to share in their happiness of the move. They have settled in well and seem to have already filled out the extra square footage their acquired!

Then we just HAD to work in a visit to Gadsden to chat and update with the DIVAS and their husbands..what a great group....four women getting together to gab who are fortunate enough to have four husbands that enjoy each others company too. Only regret is that we didn't start BEING Divas until almost after we moved from Gadsden. Go figure that one out!

At any rate....friends, family and fun gave us a wonderful January 2011...who could ask for anything more!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011



Well...time to "update the old" and "welcome the new!" DECEMBER 2010 brought travels, family and fun to this Wandering Wallace Duo! First... headed to Birmingham to bring "Warm Wishes" to a TERRIFIC FRIEND, Ethylea, at her Fantabulous Surprise 50th Birthday Celebration! Boy...was she surprised...but, as always...Lookin' Loverly! Then north to Gadsden, 10 years added, and the Duo celebrates Diva Peggy's 60th year...with all Four Divas and their engaging husbands. All smiles...loads of fun..and even shared gosspi! Can you believe....Peggy's 60???!!! Headed back to the balmy beaches of Sandestin only to break out the candles again for Jim's 63rd "cookied" celebration! Wow...this duo is now tied at 63 for a few months at least!

Birthdays behind...the duo headed to Enterprise, AL and the Wade household...reconnecting with family in their new digs and with the THREE grand-daughters we have been blessed with, Abby, Blaire and Reagan. We were definitely in our "Grandparent Mode" and loving it!

Then, Back on the Road Again...driving to St. Louis to appreciate a "pre-Christmas" celebration and adult date night (a first!) at Mosaics...as Kelly, Matt, Kimberly and Jeff celebrated with the Duo on the evening out...no loving grand-sons or grand-dogs in sight! What a terrific gathering! A harbinger of the GREAT CHRISTMAS ahead in Thornton, CO...as the Duo drove to meet and celebrate with the "newlyweds," John and Robyn, during their First Christmas together! A celebration with traditions, old and new, laughter, love and togetherness. What a blessed time was had...and Santa was good too! But, the road beckoned...and drive back we did (before the snow came a-counting) to Sandestin...only to enjoy a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration at Tommy Bahamas...with all the trimmings...and so...while the Wandering Wallaces welcome a 2011 NEW YEAR OF LIFE...we wish one and all a year of health, happiness, and dream fulfillment. God Bless Us, Everyone!