Happy Holidays, dear readers! This holiday season has been different for me than previous ones as I've been busily helping my parents get moved and settled into assisted living and get their house ready for sale. Which means I haven't been able to give much attention to anything else for the last several weeks. But I'm happy to report that they are transitioning well to their new lifestyle, and my siblings and I are able to rest a bit easier knowing they are well cared for around the clock. It also means that when DH and I embark on our Edges of South Florida adventure in less than two months, I won't feel guilty about going off to do fun things and leaving work for my siblings to do. (Lots happened while we were on our Middle States Trip that they covered while we were kicking off my retirement life!)
I haven't had as much time to put together activity options for our Edges itinerary as I did with the Middle States trip, so we'll likely wing it and see how that goes. We have a few things already booked, like the Jungle Queen sightseeing cruise in Fort Lauderdale and a day at Dry Tortugas in the Keys. We're starting our trip from Disney's Old Key West, and just this morning I remembered to make our dinner reservations for Olivia's.
I did rebook our hotel in Marathon when I saw the rate had dropped $100 from when I originally booked it. That's a tip I shared during our Middle States trip planning that has continued to serve me well. I like to book early to be sure to get a room where we want to be, so as long as the rate is within budget, I'll take it - but always go back to see if I can modify to a lower rate.
And for those wondering if we have anything travel-related under the tree or in our stockings this year, we don't - but we are making plans for our older son's 30th birthday in 2026... something about a cruise through the Panama Canal?!
Wishing you all good health, treasured time with loved ones, and much love and happiness during this season and throughout the new year.
Happy Holidays!
~ Cindy D.
