The Beginning

Having worked for the State of California for over 30 years, I've been feeling that it's time to move on to other adventures.  To ease into retirement, I started working 4 days a week from November to mid-January.  After a week's vacation, I started working 3 days a week.  I tell everyone I am "training" for retirement with the goal of June 14, 2015 as the BIG day.

I think of myself as a bit of a loner, but I do like going out and seeing new things so I had to find something that would get me out of the house.  I love history.  It's always fascinated me and I've spent many years working on the family genealogy.  Thinking...I came up with idea of "monument" Mondays. 

The idea is that each Monday I would go exploring a local, state or national monument. Afterwards, I would find a local eatery before heading back home.  Beyond that, my plan in retirement is to go places and see things...get out and explore more.

I've been very lucky in the last year to have met a very special guy, Dirk.  He's the very opposite of me...very social and is encouraging me to get out there.  I'm thankful that Dirk wants to travel as much as I do.  **In just the year that I've known him, we've spent a week wine tasting through the Gold Country in Northern California, visited Eureka Springs, Arkansas where we had the most marvelous dinner at a hotel built in 1886, stayed and played in Branson, Missouri, spent time on Halloween on Fremont Street in Las Vegas and finally, a rather quiet week back in Sacramento.  I couldn't ask for a better traveling partner and look forward to many other adventures with him. 

 The idea for this blog came from him.  I've written quite a few reviews on TripAdvisor and have contributed to a couple of blogs so it was a natural progression getting here.

I really don't know what direction this blog, or my life for that matter, is going to take but if you want to peek in every now and then and see what's up, the welcome mat is always out.

Please feel free to comment.  If you've visited any of the places I write about, I'd love to hear what you thought.
 

** We suggest:

Plymouth, CA: 

• Renwood Winery
• Helwig Winery

Murphy's, CA: 

• Alchemy Market & Cafe
• Downtown with its wine tasting rooms

Sonoma, CA: 

• Indigeny Reserve
• Christopher's Ristorante

Eureka Springs, AR: 

• 1886 Steakhouse
• New Delhi Cafe
• BalconyBar & Restaurant

Branson, MO: 

• Black Oak Grill
• The Titanic Museum

Las Vegas, NV:

• The Fremont Street Experience
• The Mob Museum
• Banger Brewery
• Hogs & HeifersSaloon

Sacramento, CA:

• California State Railroad Museum
• Zelda's Pizza