Traveller

My mother's side of the family comes from a long line of hardworking people who lived by the sea.  In 1890 my great great grandfather sailed his ship to Washington state and stayed to raise a family.  Go further back to the 1700s and they could be found in remote areas of Maine and on Orr's Island. [sketch from family book] My first job out of college was for the Oceanic Society here at Fort Mason, in San Francisco.  It didn't pay much but one of the benefits was practically unlimited sailing opportunities.  I love being on or near the water.  Early on I only knew of my Washington state family history but a few years ago I was introduced to my great great grandmother.  My great great grandmother wrote a journal for each of her two daughters, and my great aunt's daughter gave me a photocopy. I read a story of family that tells of hardship on the islands during the Revolutionary War to records of second marriages because of death by scarlet fever or because a...

My sister went to Europe and all I got was this sweet story.  Thanks goodness .  Truthfully my sister went to Europe and bought loads of souvenir t-shirts that said "My mother went to ____ and all I got was this lousy t-shirt".  However lucky me , they are for her kids and grand kids. Bullet, dodged. It has been a few days now that everyone returned from the big three week trip.  My ears are burning from all the stories and my brain is trying to keep track of the different versions and who said what.  Here are 10 short highlights: No one died No one broke any body part or needed paramedics or late night pharmacy run They had a great exchange rate for their dollars British Airways didn't stop them at the gate or turn the plane around because of their drinking Everyone took photos - but my mom never took her date stamp off the front of her pictures My sister spent the most money on souvenirs and gifts Except for a little inclement weather in Paris, they had fabulo...