Travel Archives - Social Correspondence

A Family Vacation

A long-time friend, dating back many decades, once quipped that “family vacation” is an oxymoron. Whether one agrees with this assessment or not, managing hours of travel with young children can be a challenge. A long-planned visit with family in Washington, D.C. had the fortuitous timing to include a road trip to view the total solar eclipse. It was, for me and millions of others, an awe-inspiring event, one that will not happen again in the continental U.S. for another 20 years. Fallingwater, PA This was the right kind of family vacation and road trip, the…

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April 15, 2024

city living / Grandparenting / Travel

Celebrating a New Year

Twenty twenty-four has a certain ring to it, one that rolls easily off the tongue as we enter a new year. It sounds like a promise of a good, solid year. But life can be volatile and unpredictable. Let us hope for continued economic prosperity and democracy, a healthy planet, and a more just and peaceful world. To celebrate the New Year, I hung out last week with family in our national Capitol, Washington, DC. My grandson, 19-months old, woke up each morning in the next room, chattering to himself. A sleeping cat occasionally shared the…

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January 5, 2024

city living / Travel

Capitol in Bloom

Gardens and landscapes are alive and colorful in Washington DC, with the Capitol in bloom. Flowers on full display this summer include the peony, gladiolus, milkweed, hydrangea, and clematis, among others. Among the native perennials are sage, goldenrod, blue violets, beebalm, echinacea, and columbine. Spring and fall are great times to visit the Capitol, and during our early summer visit, I enjoyed all of the gorgeous colors. Home garden, Washington DC NE An abundance of large trees provide shade from summer heat and humidity, and we were fortunate to experience moderate days with a slight breeze. …

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July 20, 2021

Grandparenting / News / Pandemic / Travel

Failing the Canine Security Check

Today is my first cross-country trip on an airplane in 16 months, and I did not expect to start out by failing the canine security check. He was a young, handsome, mellow-seeming dog, doing his duty, and I was not the only soon-to-be passenger noting how sweet looking he was. None of us reached out to touch him, knowing that it is strictly verboten to interfere with a working dog, but it was tempting. I am not sure why this particular canine signaled me out. I am very fond of dogs, so certainly it was not…

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June 14, 2021

books / Grandparenting / hiking / Letter writing / Mail / Post cards / social distancing / Travel / U.S. Postal Service

Staying at Home

Sidewalk messaging How to practice social distancing Staying at home has become the new normal, because we are living in unusual times. In recent weeks, my only outside activities are a weekly trip to the grocery store, and daily walks, generally close to home. The air is cleaner, thanks to fewer automobiles on the road, and the Bay Area is getting some much- needed rain. And the important thing is for everybody to take whatever steps are possible to keep not only themselves, but also those around us, safe in this time of pandemic. In many…

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March 28, 2020

BMT Q Car Number 1612C (1908, rebuilt 1938), New York Transit Museum

Grandparenting / Mail / Postal Service / Train travel / Trains / Travel / U.S. Postal Service

Riding the Train

BMT Q Car Number 1612C (1908, rebuilt 1938), New York Transit Museum Riding the train is one of the great joys for my three-year old grandson. Specifically, he likes to ride the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) F train, although the G train might do in a pinch. The F train runs from Jamaica, Queens to Coney Island, Brooklyn, and my grandson is familiar with every Brooklyn stop. As he pushes his toy trains across the table or floor, he mimics the automated train voice that intones, “Stand clear of the closing doors, please.” …

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July 18, 2019

BMT Q Car Number 1612C (1908, rebuilt 1938), New York Transit Museum

Grandparenting / Travel

Bye, Bye Baby

Bye, bye baby is what my two-year old grandson says to his reflection in the mirror. While he seems to understand that the baby is himself, fascination with the reflection in the mirror continues. When I travel to Brooklyn these days, it rarely is about going into Manhattan to see shows or exhibitions. Attending music class, a story time trip to the library, playtime at the YMCA, or a visit to the playground is what brings me joy. A ride on the bus or train has become an activity in and of itself as much as…

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July 26, 2018

Colorado Rockies highway. Photo by Lukas Kloeppel, Pexels Photos

Grandparenting / Travel

Summer Road Trips

Many people will be taking vacations that involve road trips this summer, especially now that the kids are out of school. National parks and monuments are among the favored destinations, as are visits to family summer camps, or to relatives and friends in other states. While Americans’ love of the automobile has waned in urban areas, the freedom that comes from driving on the open road remains a delight. Car/SUV travel brings places and people into focus in unexpected ways. The road trips of my childhood, however, were never about sightseeing or taking a leisurely drive.…

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May 2, 2018