Inclusivity, Being in my 40s and our Peru Itinerary

My daily thought: "I'm old, Gandalf. I know I don't look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart. I feel... thin. Sort of stretched, like... butter scraped over too much bread."

Happy first weekend of March! This means that we’re closer to daylight savings time, fewer cold snaps, more sunshine and a thick coat of pollen on everything. I know the pollen level is lower here at the beach, but it still gets us. Today I’m sharing how we try to make “the pollening” more manageable, what we’re doing to prep for spring break, and I have our Peru itinerary to share. And of course a new podcast episode all about our expedition last month.

Thank you for welcoming my stories into your day! My weekly Substack is something I always look forward to writing because it’s less formal and more just about day-to-day life, and I feel like I get to air my mildly dirty laundry here without being badgered for it. So thanks for making this something I look forward to each week!

LGBTQ Inclusive Thought for the Week

I’m going to start sharing more about inclusivity and the resistance that still exists today. I struggle sharing about politics and the world stage because people come at me so quickly if I don’t say or do enough or if I misunderstand some element of what’s happening, so I’m sharing what I do know and is a part of my life.

Today I’m sharing a quote from another creator (works for the Peloton creative team) about daily conversations we face continually. From John Michael di Spirito:

“I’m always struck by how in the discourse, straight people have lives, but queer people have ‘lifestyles.” Y’all can dress it up how you like, but it’s just bigotry reworded to remove your own guilt about hating us. If you can see us as a choice, you get to feel good about ‘saving us,’ not supporting us or worse, not seeing us as humans who deserve rights at all.”

I share this today because the US political scene is firing up for the 2024 election. Just like we saw laws stripped and Supreme Court justices put in place that have had MAJOR effects on our country with the 2016 election, we’re in that spot again. There’s no “Both sides are just so bad.” Nope, one side wants to strip rights away and the other wants to make progress. Nobody is perfect, for sure, but the two sides are really and truly NOT the same. Think about that when somebody draws you into a political conversation.

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Getting Older - a Blessing and a Pain

With each year different aspects of my body and brain feel aging in their own way. When I woke up on my 40th birthday my back really hurt for the first real time. On my 41st birthday it was my shoulder and neck. I turned 42 in January and it’s a new level of mobility pain: hips, knees and feet. I do not understand it. I’m a really healthy person who eats properly and exercises regularly. Why does it seem like age is picking at me?

My favorite quote from Lord of the Rings comes from Bilbo Baggins: “I'm old, Gandalf. I know I don't look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart. I feel... thin. Sort of stretched, like... butter scraped over too much bread.” That’s how I’m feeling some days. The way my hips ache is really strange and not something I’ve ever faced in life. I’m so very thankful to be fully mobile and get to go walking and running, but I’ve had to adjust just how much of that I do.

I really enjoy getting to spend the weekend at Universal Orlando with the fam, and the kids love when we GO GO GO all over the parks, but last weekend left me feeling hagrid… or haggard I guess.

So what does everyone do to keep feeling spry as we get older?

Somebody has to have a fool-proof trick to staving off the creaky joints and early bedtimes. I’m all ears because I have big plans for us that I need to be 100% for (but I’d be fine feeling 85% for). Please share anything that YOU have found helpful, either to prevent the feelings of age or to mitigate the body aches that come with each birthday.

Facing Spring Head On

Winter is way easier for me to deal with since we moved to Florida four years ago. FOUR YEARS! Where does the time go? Even though it’s much more smooth working through seasonal depression when you can be outside and the sun still shines at least three days a week, it’s still tricky. I understand why snowbirds exist and why they go farther and farther south for the winter. But spring is nearly here!

While it’s still a little grey but not too cold I’ve been using the time to get outdoor work done so that when it’s finally warm we can enjoy our first spring in our house and have a happy and welcoming outdoor space to be in. The other side of this is wrapping up tasks and work stuff that I let stack up over winter because I wasn’t feeling it. I do pretty good and working on the things that bring me joy, and that’s super helpful, but not the piper must be paid and I have to do the un-fun work.

For me this means that I’m fixing tech issues on my website that I’ve been putting off, reading about all the most recent updates to FTC laws, creating reports for work that was completed months ago, and balancing my business account. I don’t thrive in the black and white task zone of work, so it’s really difficult to focus. And that’s why I also do a ton of planning for future fun!

Tips for Dealing with Pollen

We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The Great Pollening of 2024 is upon us and as we head into battle, here are the steps we’re taking to try to limit the impact on our family. PS: if you aren’t plagued by pollen allergies, you are one of the chosen and should be living your life to the absolute fullest, no holds barred.

Here’s what we do to manage DBP aka death by pollen:

• keep windows closed on windy days

• vacuum when kids aren’t home

• check the pollen count and provide allergy meds based on forecast

• go through the car wash as often as possible

• live by the beach

I know, not everyone can live at the beach with minimal tree pollen (the live oaks here are killer), but if you’re really in the throes of allergies, the beach is a good place to get fresh air with less pollen than tree-filled neighborhoods.

Also, we just had our HVAC maintenanced and they recommend a device that can be added to our intake units that is basically an air scrubber. They are expensive, but address lots of air issues, from mold, spores, pollen, germs and other things. If you have any experience with this sort of set up, I’d love to hear your thoughts and if it’s worth it.

Spring Break Planning - Tips and Timeline

And yes, Spring Break starts in two weeks for some areas. If that’s your zone, woohoo! We start in three weeks and have big plans, but if you’re still waffling and want to plan a trip of some sort, here are some ideas which I’ve organized by region:

• Pacific Northwest

  • Victoria BC and Vancouver Island, it may be wet, but it’s beautiful and fun

  • Eastern Oregon - think about the Painted Hills and Bend, still a bit cold by sunny skies and adventure

• California

  • Yosemite National Park - I love it in spring because it’s still quiet, but some areas aren’t open yet

  • San Diego - there are so many museums and fun outdoor things to do that a spring trip is easy (and you can do it on a budget!)

  • Big California National Park road trip - we actually have an itinerary so you can visit nearly all the parks in 10 days

• Midwest

  • Chicago is a really cool city and you can get cheap flights from all over the Midwest

  • Door County WI - this area is beautiful and you can visit in spring to get one last snow visit (and the towns are fun)

• Northeast

  • NYC Spring Break - I just did New York City with Oliver and we had the best time. You can do it on a budget and make it super cultural or historic.

  • Southern Maine - Portland and the surrounding area is fun and pretty even when it’s still a bit muddy. Visit now before rates jump for summer.

• Mid-Atlantic

  • Williamsburg - yes, it may seem cliche to visit for spring break, but it’s so much fun and learning is always good (and Busch Gardens is open!)

  • Washington DC - plan a combo protest / sightseeing trip…

• Southeast

  • Savannah - you can visit the city and go to Tybee Island, have great food and lots of history. And dolphin tours.

  • St Augustine - why yes, you can visit our hometown! I love our town because you can make a trip here anything you want it to be, including adding some Orlando parks for a day or two

  • Miami - the city, the Everglades, the Upper Keys… it’s all a part of a spring break to Miami

  • Mobile and Gulf Shores - there is some good to be said about this part of Alabama. It’s historic and beautiful. My friend Tammilee has a website all about the Gulf Coast!

Our Peru Itinerary!

We are just three weeks away from our trip to Peru!!! We cannot wait. I’ve been working with my friend Karilyn (she runs NoBackHome.com) to figure out our trip and she’s been a great help. I couldn’t wrap my head around the logistics of getting around Peru, including how much time it takes to actually travel from place to place. All the reading in the world doesn’t compare to first-hand experience. And with that…

Here’s our plan for Peru based on everyone’s recommendations and the travel planning we’ve been doing with Karilyn:

• Exploring Lima - staying in the historic area

• Fly to Cusco and then drive to Ollantaytambo for the Sacred Valley

• Take the really cool train to Aguas Calientes

• Stay at an eco-bnb in the hills before visiting Machu Picchu

• Head back to Cusco for some exploring

• Fly back to Lima and then drive to Paracas

• See the penguins and visit little towns along the way

• Fly to Iquitos and then we have five days staying in a treehouse in the Amazon

This is going to be such an incredible trip and even though this is a fun family trip without any planned work elements, I know I’ll be writing so much about it! During our trip I don’t know how much I’ll be able to share on Insta or Tiktok, but I’ll try to give updates along the journey.

Upcoming Adventures (and something YOU can join)

Lastly, we’ve got fun stuff on the calendar in the coming months. I have work trips, of course, but then we have fun family trips too. In two weeks I head to Las Vegas for a project and for part of it I get to also have a little explore of the Southwest directly from Vegas (more to come), and then I have some time in Dallas for work.

After Peru we’ll just be home finishing out the school year (more on that next week) and then we have a mystery adventure… And then it’s mid-June, and here’s where YOU can join us!

We’re going to be sailing on the Frontier Legacy ship with UnCruise out of Juneau. If you’d like to join us, or just find out more about UnCruise and the adventures we have with them, check out our UnCruise Adventures page - discount code, itinerary options, and fun photos from our sailings.

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That’s all for now. Have a great week, enjoy the last stretch of winter, and if you’re ever in need of travel ideas or tips, let us know. Safe travels!