Get Your Kicks on Route 66 - Part I

It's been about a month since my last blog and what a month it's been!. We spent most of August on an amazing journey across the United States and back. We took the world famous Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. This is a trip we've talked about doing for years and it was definitely one I will remember fondly- frankly, there is nothing like a good road trip! Here is the quick and dirty breakdown:



My traveling companions: Patrick & Caitlin

5,231 Total Miles
13 States
3 traveling buddies
1,600,504,211 cows
2 baseball games
1 blue whale
563,231 corn fields
1 bed bug
1,545 windmills
4 muffler men

I'm finding the writing of this blog to go on and on... so I've decided to separate this into two blogs, that way I feel a sense of accomplishment and actually post something today...  So this is Part I of our Route 66 Trip... - I will also be putting the photos on shutterfly - a picture is worth a 1000 words!

The Plan...
Our original plan was to fly to Chicago and rent a car to Sacramento.  It seemed the most logical, saving the driving time from Sacramento to Chicago and putting the least amount of mileage on our vehicle. However, we didn't take into effect the cost of the rental car - which turned out to be more than $5,000... so we then considered the idea of buying a used car in Chicago (hey overall it's cheaper than $5,000) but in the end we decided to extend the length of the trip and use our Ford Explorer. Our son in law, Justin, put steps on the Explorer making it easier to get in and out of, and its fully automated so it really made the trip easier and wound up being the best choice anyway.

The Journey to Chicago, IL
So, the day arrived and in true Timmons fashion we planned to leave about 10am and really wound up leaving at 1pm. So with a full tank of gas, three suitcases, our favorite pillows and a whole lot of snack food, we headed out!  We didn't want to spend too much time getting to Chicago so we put in about 8-10 hours driving each day. We journeyed through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa and into Illinois. Patrick & I have been to Nevada, Utah and Wyoming quite a few times so that was not a new trek for us, but neither of us had ventured into Nebraska or Iowa. So these states were new for us to explore.

Iowa - Beautiful Fields of Corn & Farms

 

It's interesting how we get ideas in our heads about states and what they look like - although I've been through a number of states and we lived back east for a time, I'm still amazed by how incorrect these assumptions often are. Yes, Iowa does have quite a bit of corn fields - but there is something wonderfully beautiful about a farm with a windmill next to a green corn field. Truly picturesque... 



At Antique Archaeology, LeClaire, IA

Caitlin & Patrick at Antique Archaeology

We watch Mike, Frank and Danny of American Pickers on TV, so it was a "no brainer" to stop by their shop outside Davenport, Iowa on the eastern edge of Iowa and check out all the cool stuff and purchase a few items. If you like garage sales, old vintage stuff or the open road this is the show to watch, visit Antique Archaeology. Funny, on the show you get the feel that they are located out in the middle of nowhere in a small town, well that's not true. Antique Archeology, is located in LeClaire right next to the  Mississippi River, such a cute town!

 

 

Chicago: Windy, Traffic, Wrigley Field and Deep Dish!

Lou Malnati's in Chicago

It is true that Chicago is the windy city, I think in most of our photos I look like I've got a rats nest building in my hair. But, that's part of it's charm! Chicago is a busy city with traffic, skyscrapers, people and lots to do! We had delicious deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati - you know the pizza is fantastic when folks line up at the door. It was a wait, but absolutely worth it! For dessert we had a cookie pizza, warm with vanilla ice cream - yep, it's worth moving to Chicago just for this dessert (of course, I'd weigh a couple hundred pounds if I did)! 


Wrigley Field!!

We are big baseball fans, so we never miss an opportunity to see a game and seeing a game at the historic Wrigley Field was something I've wanted to do since I was a child. I grew up in Susanville, CA (about 4 hours north of Sacramento) as a child we got 10 cable channels and one was WGN in Chicago (who knows why). I had no idea where Chicago was, but I watched the Cubs play whenever they were on. So, going to the Cubs game was a highlight for me, we had "Chicago dogs" and watched the Reds beat the Cubs. Bummer, I wanted the Cubs to win. -- We ALWAYS - "root, root, root for the home team!"

After a few days in Chicago, we started the Route 66 journey! Route 66 is the old highway that folks took before the Interstates were created. Route 66 is sometimes known as the Mother Road.  The Disney movie "Cars" is based on a fictional town, known as "Radiator Springs."  The movie tells the story of a town being forgotten after the interstate detoured travelers. The movie is pretty accurate, in that many of these little towns closed up or had to find other means of existence.  Radiator Springs was inspired by many of the sights along Route 66.

Some of Route 66 is no longer drivable, so its not possible to take Route 66 for the entire 2,448 mile journey. This caused us to move between the Interstate and Route 66 and the difference between the two is profound. The route really gives you a feeling of going back to a simpler time when you took life slower and enjoyed the sights. You miss so much when you just take the Interstate, if I have one recommendation when you're out on the road, stop in at some of the little towns along the way and enjoy a few detours from the main highway, there is so much to see and do, as well as wonderful folks to meet!

Route 66... To Be Continued... (I know the anticipation is tough!)

How is Patrick Doing? #2

I've struggled this month with an update on "How Patrick is Doing."  I think for me these are the hardest to write, hence I've only posted one - back in March... There are a number of reasons I struggle with it.  Primarily, I don't really know what it's like, I'm merely the sad daily observer to his changing issues and challenges.  I am by definition a caregiver so my perception is perhaps different and jaded by the role in which I play.

So, as you read this blog, I ask you dear reader to remember that this is coming from a caregiver's perspective not the PALS (Person with ALS).

Generally, if someone asks me "how is Patrick doing," I say he's progressing and follow it up with ALS is a degenerative disease, so you are always better yesterday than today. The nitty gritty detail of ALS is not kind, pretty or enjoyable to share and discuss.  It's similar to when your child asks you "where do babies come from..." - they want the truth, but you have to consider how much detail in that moment is appropriate.

So my second struggle is how much do I post on this blog... My feeling at this moment, is to share some things to give you an idea of the challenges, but stay away from the gory details.  There is a blog done by an ALS patient, Susan, in our support group and she writes from a patient perspective - I think she does a great job talking about the daily struggles.  Here is a link to her blog:

http://www.susanssteps.com/

The journey with ALS is extremely individual based on many factors, including, but not limited to, the initial affected area, and the rate it progresses. In Susan's case the ALS started in her legs, so, that is her most challenging area. This differs from Patrick who's initial area was his right hand.

Ok, here is "how is Patrick doing update"... basically he's progressing...

The fasciculations that started in his right hand and arm have progressed to his left hand and arm as well as his legs.  He still has strength in his legs although reduced. His balance is off and he's had a couple falls and a few close calls. The lift we've put off is scheduled for end of August, beginning of September time frame. The stairs are becoming difficult due to his balance issues.

Fatigue is a constant issue which is typical with ALS patients. The simple tasks such as the morning ritual of bathing, dressing, teeth brushing takes longer and is tiring. Initially, Patrick suffered fatigue generally in the late afternoon, but now it tends to be connected to performing various tasks. Conserving strength is important, so that energy is spent on more important activities than the daily tasks.

Patrick continues to work at Blue Shield although he now works at home three days a week. The three days at home are much easier than the two in the office  The mobility challenges and fatigue make those days in the office difficult. We are starting to discuss the time frame for Patrick to go onto disability, this day is approaching.

The continual loss of mobility is difficult to watch, especially with the understanding that you don't get it back. I know that when I started putting on and taking off his shoes that he would never again do this task. There is a sadness whenever these changes take place - I feel it, so I can only assume he does too. I'm learning patience as I watch him struggle with some tasks, I know the importance of maintaining independence as long as possible.

If you are interested in the disease, ALS, there is a YouTube video that was created by Forbes Norris ALS Clinic that does a good job of explaining the disease and the progression process. It's titled, "The ABC's of ALS," if you're interested in the disease in general I recommend you view it.  Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tS4oTKRYfA

There are three parts - the first does a good job explaining the disease. Dallas, the presenter, is the research nurse that we've met a few times at the Forbes Norris Clinic. She keeps us up to date on research, potential upcoming studies and new things happening in the ALS world.

We continue to work through the changes and find alternatives to managing daily activities. We are fortunate to have a strong group of family and friends that help out with various items. Thanks to all you unsung heroes that provide assistance when needed.

Seize the day my friends...

Notes on Life #4

The past month has been a whirlwind of activities with Europe, Caitlin's Graduation, end of year activities and family visits. As wonderful as it all is, I must say it's taken its toll on me and I was glad to head back to work and get a little bit back to "normal," whatever that means these days... So much to recap I hope I don't miss anything...

 

Traveling with Superman and Visiting Shoe Trees

Superman and the Shoe Tree

My parents are at a stage where driving down to Sacramento from Susanville is just too much for them. For them to attend Caitlin's graduation I decided to drive and pick them up.   Susanville is about four hours north of here and it makes for a long 8-9 hour day. Patrick was busy working and Caitlin was in school so I decided to make the journey solo.  Well the week prior to leaving the grandsons were over and I thought, why don't I take Christian on my Susanville trip, he is out of school and just a little bit bored. 

 

So Christian and I headed out on our adventure to Susanville. Our first stop, Starbucks, I gifted him with a Superman cape and hot chocolate - so we started the journey off right. Christian is an easy traveling companion and other than a few stops to run around the car with his cape flying in the wind, he was good to go.

I made Christian a promise that on our trip we would stop at the infamous "shoe tree" and make a donation of a pair of his old shoes. He was a little distressed to part with the "one" shoe with a hole in the toe, but he was anxious to throw the shoes up into the tree. I'm not really sure about shoe tree edict, but we made a wish when the shoe was placed in the tree. I've stopped at the shoe tree quite a few times over the years, I find it a good place to reflect and the shoes always make me smile. If you're ever on the rode to Susanville (HWY 395), take an old pair with you and enjoy the view.  Yes, shoes do grow on trees or perhaps what I should say is "yes, there is a shoe heaven!"

 

Caitlin's Graduation

The big celebration this past month was Caitlin's graduation from Woodcreek High School. It was a bitter sweet moment watching my youngest child graduate. Sweet to see her graduate and know that she is on her way to college and the beginning of adulthood.  Bitter to think that there are no more children at home and Caitlin will be heading to Sierra College.  

 



Me & Sofia (Peanut), Caitlin the Graduate, Proud Dad & Sister

Always a wonderful moment to see your children achieve these milestones. My sister Denise and her boyfriend Mike came out from Arizona for the event and we had a wonderful celebration with Caitlin's friends. The big news is that Denise and Mike are getting married, which is cause for celebration!

 

Support Group

The ALS Association provides a monthly support group for PALS (People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and CALS (Caregivers of ALS patients).  We've attended some of these meetings over the past few months. I've never been to any type of support group meeting before so the experience is new to me. At the meetings they separate the PALS from the CALS so I can only attest to the caregiver side of the equation.  On the caregiver side each person introduces themselves and talks about how ALS has affected them and the challenges they are currently facing. You can share as little or as much as you like. The caregiver side of the group is diverse ranging from current immediate caregivers, individuals that have a more distant connection like a family member that doesn't live locally to people who lost relatives to the disease either recently or years ago.

There are things that I've noticed and are difficult for me at the meetings. Firstly,Patrick & I are younger than most other participants. When there are 40 somethings in the group generally, its because they are the child of an ALS patient not the spouse. At the first group meeting this made me feel sad and more than a little "ripped off," but we don't get to chose these types of things so I try not to dwell on it.  The other thing that makes the meetings tough - at least on the caregiver side, is there is always someone who comes to announce that their spouse, father, or friend died.  They come with photos and many of the other caregivers know them from previous groups.

So, you're asking, why do you attend these meetings... well, I've considered this myself and I think its because there are so few people who understand the challenges with the progression of the disease.  It's really not like other diseases, and it's helpful to hear how others are managing things as the disease progresses. In fact, the contractor who we purchased the lift from was a referral from another support group member. So the information is truly invaluable. 

 The other reason is that there is comfort in knowing that PALS and their caregivers still lead quality lives and do remarkable things, even with such a degrading disease. I find many of the caregivers to be inspiring and I enjoy hearing the stories they tell about their PALS. I can't speak to why Patrick attends and it has to be difficult seeing people at various stages of the disease, but he seems to get something out of it too.

My hope is that someday there will be a cure and there will not be a need for support groups, but for now it does provide an invaluable service to all that attend.

Did Someone Say Road Trip?  "Get Your Kicks on Route 66"

Patrick and I have talked about taking the old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica over the years. It's a long trek, 2,448 miles, and we estimate it will take about two weeks to drive and enjoy all the sights along the way. Over the years Patrick and I have done many road trips, even traveling at one time from Sacramento to Harrisburg, PA. There is nothing like the open road and I don't think there is anything more traditionally American than taking a road trip on Route 66.

 

The dates are still being considered, but it looks like August/September time frame at this point. Although the traveling is slowly getting more challenging we both value the time we spend together and the sights along the way.

Odds and Ends..

Pretty Feet

The girls took Patrick to the nail shop for Father's Day to get his first pedicure. I rarely do this, I find it strange to have someone "working" on my feet and it scares me that they have clippers. Yep, not my favorite thing.  For Caitlin, Corrinne and Patrick though, they had a great time.  If you're wondering... no he didn't get his toe nails painted although we tried to encourage it:)

 We are in the midst of planning Patrick's 50th birthday in September. Should be lots of fun. I want to say thank you to Pat Kennealy, for your email it was really sweet. If you don't know Pat, he is an old friend of Patrick's dating back to his EDS days. Pat does some of the best BBQ we've ever had and has agreed to help with the birthday party food. Patrick is lucky to have such a good friend.

Hope all is well with you and these hot days find you inside with a cold drink!

Things to Look Forward to...

 

July Denise & Mike's Wedding in Sedona, AZ

July Visit with Timmons' Family in Littleton, CO

August, Hot August Nights, Reno

September, Route 66 Trip

September Patrick's 50th Birthday

October 5 - ALS Walk, Sacramento CA

November - Anthony's 9th Birthday

30 Years Ago

Patrick and I were married June 26, 1983, in Reno 30 years ago. We married young (16,19), with a baby on the way, not the best recipe for a successful marriage. If you're reading this and have children, you probably just gasped. Nope, I wouldn't have wanted either of my girls to marry that young and yes, it did occur to me when they were 16, wow I had a family at their age.  

Anyway, somehow or other we've made it work through the years with the good and the not so good  times.  I've been asked on occasion what makes our marriage last, to which, I reply, quite a bit of luck and dedication. 

With "normal" marriages my perspective is that the first few years are the honeymoon years. You don't get irritated by the toothpaste lid being left off and always remember important anniversaries. Our first years weren't like this, instead we were young, struggling and new parents. In our first year, we had a child, moved from Susanville to Sacramento, and worked to finish high school (me) and start CSUS (Patrick). Patrick refers to these years as the "dark years." How it lasted is still a mystery to me, but I think even then we always liked each others company and found the same things funny. 

I wish I could say that everything is 100% wonderful all the time, but that would be a lie. I'd also like to say that we've never fought, disagreed or had issues with one another, but we're as human as the next couple. The truth is there are hard times, crappy times and moments when we haven't really acted our best. However, I will say that through them all I've always felt a strong sense of attachment and being together just felt right. Whatever the reason, I will never regret the decision to marry my first love and my best friend.

Over the years we've had many great moments and good times, traveling, moving, celebrating, and in general goofing around. We have two great kids, three grandkids and some wonderful memories with more to be had. To my husband and friend - Happy 30th Anniversary!

Taken from "You're My Best Friend" by Queen:

You're the best friend that I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine and I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
Oh you're my best friend

The Lift

We have struggled the past couple months with the decision of what to do about the stairs in our house. Our house doesn't have a bedroom or full bath downstairs. Now before you get concerned, this is a preemptive decision, Patrick is quite able at this point to go up and down the stairs, albeit a bit slower. One of the things that is pressed upon you at ALS support group is to always stay ahead of the curve when making decisions. You don't want to make decisions after you need something, instead make these in advance so that you are not caught off guard. This comes from folks who know and who've been there.

So, we met with contractors to potentially add a room to the downstairs with full bath, met with a mechanical engineer to consider a lift being installed in the house and looked at various single story homes for sale.  If I'm being honest, none of these options really appeals to Patrick or I, and it's been quite a painful process.

Although, I don't think there is a "right answer," we tried to narrow down the decision based on the emotional, financial and least stressful option. It's interesting the way we look at things now, when we originally purchased our house in Roseville, we assumed we'd sell it and move on within a few years.  Well that was over 13 years ago, and we're still here. Honestly we've put quite a bit of our heart and soul into this home and we have many wonderful memories. 

We did finally come to a decision, I wish we could say that it was clear cut or we feel that it's 100% right, but that's not possible. So, since neither of us could quite see leaving this house, we decided to remodel although it will not be easy. Prior to leaving for Europe, we made plans to install the lift and set a date for June with the engineer. 

It seems June came about quickly and we both realized the lift was scheduled to be installed.  I guess it's like cold feet, but we both agreed we are just not ready to have it installed.  I think the lift is a symbol of so many things, and although we will have to "take the plunge" sooner or later we're going to hold off for the moment.  Luckily, the engineer, Chris McIlwain, is completely understanding and although he couldn't cancel the delivery of the lift, the installation was postponed until we were ready. 

Well, the lift arrived yesterday - it is a big package and in the garage it sits... I'm not sure when we will decide to install the lift and my hope is it won't be needed for a long time to come. But if you journey into our garage, don't trip...

Our Travels in Europe

Dôme des Invalides, Paris

Patrick and I have talked about traveling to Europe for years and our only regret is that we didn't go sooner. It was truly a wonderful trip and we both agreed one of the best we've taken. The days leading up to the trip didn't go well with Patrick getting the stomach flu and I was worried, but most of it ran it's course before we headed out.

As for traveling with someone with the early stages of ALS, there were challenges, but nothing we couldn't handle. We took things slower than normal, but other than a stumble when getting out of a taxi in London, Patrick managed well, although Europe is not disability friendly, and we avoided some things that had potential difficulties: sky diving, bungee jumping etc.

France: The Mona Lisa, Notre Dame, and Disneyland

We were given the advice to spend the first day in Paris on the Hop Off/On Double Decker Bus.  This proved to be great advice.  The bus allowed us to tour around Paris and make a note of the places we wanted to visit.  On the bus tour you are given headphones and information is provided about the various sites throughout the city. We used these bus systems in all the cities we visited: Paris, London and Edinburgh.



Paris is a beautiful city, with it's architecture, cafes, cathedrals and museums.  We spent time visiting a number of museums, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and enjoying the cafes. We stayed at a quaint hotel near the Eiffel Tower which was both lovely and convenient to the bus lines.  Yes, we can now say that we've seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre with hundreds of our closest friends:). The Mona Lisa is behind glass and about 100 people at the same time all trying to get a glance and photo of the painting.  This was a little over the top crazy for me, as I'm not a great fan of huge crowds.

We also visited the Musée d'Orsay which has some of the most famous impressionist paintings.  During this visit I took a couple of photos of some famous paintings including Whistler's Mother.  Apparently, this is not allowed and I was told to stop by the museum staff - Patrick thought I would be placed in museum custody and ultimately museum jail, so of course he pretended not to know me.  Here are my illegal photos...

Whistler's Mother



I think you are now an accomplice by viewing these...

We took the train to Disneyland which is on the outside of Paris. What I didn't know was that Disneyland Paris is actually two parks: Disneyland and Disney Studios.  We rode a few of the rides: Phantom Manor (Haunted Mansion), Peter Pan and It's a Small World.  I must be honest in saying that although it was fun to see the parks - they are not as nice as our Disney parks.

Any concern I had about not knowing the language was largely unfounded.  We muddled our way, and our experience was that people were kind and provided help if we asked.  

England: The Queen, Underground War Rooms and Bath

London is a busy city, very similar to New York City, with lots of people, traffic and pigeons.

Yes, there were a lot of pigeons, in fact one of the best photos I took, was of Patrick laughing because of a flock of these nasty birds.  We stayed near the Marble Arch at the Marriott Hotel in London.  The hotel staff was nice, but from a mobility perspective it was the most challenging of the hotels we stayed in.  There were a set of marble stairs that you had to climb to get to the elevators as well as a set up stairs in the hall leading to our room.  I suspect these are created by obstacles due to renovating an old building.  This just made things a bit more difficult for our comings and goings.

At the Marble Arch, enjoying the pigeons

The other challenge we found throughout Europe was that bathrooms were often located in basements for restaurants and stores.  So Patrick climbed up and down many stairs over the course of the trip and he managed ok, but it didn't make things easy.

We stopped by Buckingham Palace to visit the Queen, but shockingly she didn't invite us in.  We did however, take a tour of the Mews (horse and carriage area of Buckingham Palace), the Churchill War Rooms, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.   As is the case also in France, lots of beheadings took place in these locations.

We highly recommend, the Churchill War Rooms were located underground near Parliament, it is where Churchill lived and worked during WWII.  Within the war rooms there is another museum on the life of Winston Churchill which was quite interesting and interactive.

Most of the touring we did was unscheduled and we just selected what looked interesting from the bus or recommendations from others.  We did, however, preschedule a bus tour to Bath and Stonehenge while we stayed in London. It's a few hours to Bath and we enjoyed the country side as we traveled. Bath is wonderful and definitely worth the journey.  We found a cute fudge shop in Bath and sat outside to try some carmel fudge, it was good, we did laugh though because as we looked at the bag it read "A San Francisco Fudge Company" and here we thought we were enjoying local confectionery fudge:) 

Animals in War Memorial

The French, British and Scotch all love their monuments and we saw tributes to everything including War Animals and Bobby the Scottish Dog. At the Animal in War Memorial there were many wreaths and flowers for fallen animals.  I'm afraid, although I am an animal lover, it seemed a bit over the top.  I suspect Roxie would have appreciated it though.

Scotland: Haggis, Desmond, Cloud Atlas

We ate at a number of pubs in England and Scotland.  I enjoyed the pubs both for the atmosphere and surprisingly the good food. We had steak and ale, meat pie, roast and mac n cheese at the various pubs and the food was wonderful.  I'm a true "comfort" food person and the pub menu is full of these types of items. The only pub food that was a let down was the burgers, frankly they burn them to a crisp. It happened a couple of times and I finally asked one of the waiters why they over cook the meat.  Apparently, because of the mad cow outbreak a few years back there are strict standards on cooking beef.  So, don't eat burgers in Europe unless you like them burnt.

A Pub in Scotland - Great Meat Pie!

After hearing what haggis and black pudding were made of we opted not to try these foods. This is also true of the snails, steak tar tar and baby calf brains in France.  I think these items are best for the true British, Scotch and French.  We did, however buy haggis stuft animals for Anthony and Christian.

We enjoyed all the countries, sights and cities along the trip. I must say I was quite taken with Edinburgh it is such a charming old world city.  We stayed on the "Royal Mile" which is the road to Edinburgh Castle.  My suspicion is that if someone who lived 100's of years ago visited the city now, there would still be much that is the same.  Edinburgh was/is the home of Sean Connery, and JK Rowling. In fact, Harry Potter was written in Edinburgh at a local pub.

If you've seen Cloud Atlas, then you know that a few of the story lines are in Edinburgh, Scotland.  If you look at our pictures you'll find some photos of these locations and the monument to Sir Walter Scott.  We both watched Cloud Atlas on the plane ride home and saw the Edinburgh scenes.  Yep, it made us smile...

Patrick's friend, Desmond, and his parents met us in Edinburgh for lunch and tea.  It was quite enjoyable to spend time with his family and gain a different perspective of Scottish government and customs.  We also spent time with Desmond in Glasgow, visiting the Glasgow Museum, local Pub and yes, the famous Indian Restaurant.

So, I know you're dying to know if the best Indian food is found in Glasgow, Scotland.  Well, Patrick is more the connoisseur so I asked him his opinion and he didn't fully commit to "the best in the world," but he did say that it is some of the best he's had.  Personally, I consider myself a naan expert and YES, it was the best I've had! If you're in Glasgow stop in at Assam's Restaurant you won't be disappointed.

Patrick and Desmond at the best Indian restaurant, Assam's

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

We traveled from Paris to London, London to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to Glasgow by train.  I can not say enough about the train system.  It's quite comfortable, efficient and relaxing to travel this way. It was definitely a highlight of the trip and I'm glad we opted for train versus plane.  On the flip side, the plane rides between Paris and San Francisco were quite brutal physically for Patrick and myself. I can see why people spend the money to fly business or first class, it is just not comfortable to sit in a small confined space for over 10 hours.

If you are considering Air France for your travel abroad, I recommend that you select another airline.  Although, we had assigned seating they bumped us into open seating on our return flight from Paris to San Francisco. We explained to the boarding staff the need for us to sit together due to Patrick's disability and they still didn't get us seats together.  We were fortunate that people sitting around us on the plane were willing to change seats. I was surprised by their lack of concern when someone says they have a disability, you'd think they would be much more accommodating.  Ah, well if I've learned anything in the last six months it's that there are really wonderful people that will go out of their way to help someone in need and then there are others... Fortunately most people are the first group.

Thanks to Navjot, Denise, Lourdes & Corrinne... They feed, checked on and gave rides to Caitlin who opted for staying home while we were in Europe. 
 

More Photos...

Patrick and I had such a great time in Europe, I wish I could write about all the different things we saw, but a picture is worth a thousand words, so if you are interested, you can view our photos at the following link: timmonseuropetrip2013.shutterfly.com/

Bonjour, Cheers and Au Revior,  

A word of advice from the Underground in London... While you're out in the world "Mind the Gap."

Just a Song Before We Go...

We are heading out on Friday for our trip to France, England and Scotland.  Neither of us have been out of the USA except for Mexico, so we are excited for the journey.  My hope is that we've remembered everything and that the ten hours on the plane will go quickly.  You see I've never been a huge fan of planes, so... wish me luck!

Trip Planning
Patrick is a good planner, he has the patience to read books, websites and forums to figure out what needs to be done for the trip.  I wish I was more help, sometimes I think I'm ADD because looking at various options of tours, hotels or websites just grows tedious. Now don't get me wrong I appreciate a good plan for travel I just tend to like the go with the flow feeling, however I think in going to Europe we probably should do a little planning.

The Best Indian Restaurant is in Scotland
We are both looking forward to various tours and sites: Stonehenge, Lourve, etc.  Patrick's friend from work, Desmond, just coincidentally is in Scotland visiting his family during this time and offered to spend a couple days with us showing us around Scotland.  This will likely be the highlight of the trip.  One of Desmond's promised destinations is the "best indian restaurant" -- "better than anything in the states."  Yep, we're heading to Scotland to try the best Indian food...

Update - Well this blog has been sitting in the unfinished posts for the week... so, it's Friday and we're sitting in the Air France Terminal waiting to board.  I thought I'd just tag this on with the previous blog since I haven't posted it yet. As we sit here there is a little girl across from us, my guess is she's about 2 years old, she is watching the Disney movie, Ratatouille, apparently she is getting ready for France. Airports are interesting places and the people watching opportunities are endless.

Speaking the Language...
My greatest anxiety of traveling overseas has always been the language difference..  I know about three words in French: Bonjour, Merci and Oui - likely all of these I mispronounce.  Our daughter, Caitlin took three years of French and our hope was that she would teach us a few words... well, she tried, but quickly seemed to lose patience with our attempts.  So, we're sitting in the terminal listening to many conversations being spoken in French and not understanding a bit.  My goal, is to double my knowledge of the French language - yeah, I know that brings my total to 6 words.

The Stomach Flu is Not Fun...
Patrick came down with a stomach virus yesterday - yeah, great timing.  He seems to be recouping but it was a dreadful illness and hard on someone with ALS.  I guess, on the up side, it's better he got it the day before the trip than during it.  A 10 hour plane trip can feel like an eternity when you're not feeling well.

The Journey... to see the Mouse?
I suspect I'll do a whole blog on our adventures in Europe.  So, yes, I'll bore you with our family photos.  My goal is to get all the tacky tourist photos we can, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Stonehenge etc.  Oh, and if we're lucky we'll get over to see the French Mickey Mouse.  Yes, we are traveling 10 hours on a plane so we can see Disneyland Paris. Just for the record the most popular items that friends asked us to bring them are from Disneyland Paris.  So, perhaps we're part of the in crowd or maybe our friends are just as silly as us.

I'll keep you posted on our travels - hope all is well with you and yours.