Driving Vacations when We Were Young

I just wrote a column about "staycations" for my Boom This! ezine, a subject that interests me and I think a lot of other people.

When times are tough, and I think today would qualify, there's not a lot of disposable income left over for vacations. You know, the ones where you fly to some out-of-the-way place, stay in swanky hotels, eat out every meal and shop, a lot, just like Brad Pitt and Angelolina Jolie. Nice life if you can get it. But since we are not all celebrities, that means that we have to make other arrangements.

We used to do staycations when we were young, because that was all we could afford. But a couple of memorable times we would all pile into my Dad's Pontiac and drive somewhere like Niagara Falls, or Geneva-on-the-Lake and rent a room or two for a couple of days and see the sights. Living large for sure!

I still have a lot of memories of those trips, especiallly the one to Geneva where I got the worst sunburn of my life. We spent time with my cousins and my aunt and uncle around a very small pool, and then at night we would either walk to the ice cream stand or to the"boardwalk" which probably never deserved that name. A great time.

To read some suggestions on what to do with your blissful time off, visit here.

Change is (always) Coming, Ready or Not

The place where I have had my hair cut and styled for 30.5 years (yes, that's right) is being relocated. The salon and its stylists are being absorbed into another one of the salons. I will still be able to see my stylist, Debbie, but just in another lcoation.

I first met Debbie when she was newly out of beauty school and I was a new mom with a six-month-old. We hit it off right away and have become good friends over the years. There probably isn't a topic we haven't covered at some point in our monthly chats.

What people used to say about beauticians and barbers knowing a lot of secrets is true, I am sure. Sitting there having someone else pamper you is conducive to talking, especially if you are busy with a young family or career. It's a few mintues of relaxation.

I will follow Debbie to her new digs, but I will miss the old place too. I know where the coffee is, how to help myself to a dry towel and where to put the dirty ones. I used to kid that I actually worked there because the place had become so comfortable to me.

Life is full of changes, I know, and we have to adapt. And we do and I will. But gee. . .

Top Ten Gifts for Those in Nursing Homes

Buying gifts can be difficult no matter the age of the person, but buying things for those who are in nursing homes can also prove to be difficult.

Here are some ideas to have on hand when you go for a visit to see a parent or loved one in a nursing facility.

Music either transferred to a small iPod or a radio with earplugs.

Food items that can be shared with permission with roommates or friends such as sugar-free cookies or drinks.

Stamps and cards, including some that are already addressed. Or bring them along whenever you visit to write down a message for someone else that you can mail on your way out.

Favorite magazine and newspaper subscriptions.

Peronal items like small bottles of shampoos, creams, shaving cream etc.

Scrapbook or memory books filled with family events.

A large calendar or clock for the wall.

Fresh flowers or easy-care plants (if they are allowed).

Bright throws or afghans.

And of course, family photos.

Baby, it's hot out there!

These Canadian geese have the right idea. A plunge into water can be a great way to cool down and get refreshed.

I read that the first half of this year was the hottest ever in the history of my town, Pittsburgh. We didn't need professionals to tell us that. The winter was so mild, the spring so lovely and the summer so hot, it's been a constant topic of conversation for months.

The heat we are experiencing is nothing to play with -- or in. The high humidity has made breathing a little more difficult for those who don't have health problems, so it has to really affect those who do have them.

Even though it feels like we should be out and about all the time since It's Summer!, it's not such a bad idea to lay low and stay indoors in cool air if you can when the temps and humidity climb. Or find a gaggle of geese to join as they find a natural way to cool down.

Save Money Traveling: Here's How

San Francisco Victorian Houses

If you think you know all about how to save money when you travel, you might still want to take a peek at a new book by author and traveler Terrance Zepke.

The book, The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel: Save Up To 90% on Lodging, Flights, Tours, Cruises, and More! covers all aspects of travel, and shows you how you can make your trip a lot more comfortable and affordable.

To learn five tips to help save you money on your next trip,

visit www.BoomThis.com. . To learn more about the travel encyclopedia and Terrance, visit here.

The Changing Seasons

The Empress Gateway Clipper Tour Boat sails by Heinz Field last weekend during the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh, PA.

The stadium is quiet now and will be until football for the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Steelers returns in the fall. By then the Empress will soon be resting as the weather gets colder and the rivers freeze up, which seems impossible on a perfect day like this.

Funny how quickly each season comes and goes, but when you are in the middle of one, it seems to last and last.

The weather here has been perfect the last few days, and it's not even officially summer yet. That won't happen until June 20, this year's date for the Summer Solstice.

1940s Census Online Now

We have been having some interesting sessions here, trying to find our parents and their families on the 1940s US Census forms, which just became available for view on the world wide web. This is just one more valuable tool when searching for your ancestors, along with birth, death and wedding certificates; personal letters; family bibles and so on.

I think as we get older we have more of an interest in our families so that (maybe) we can understand ourselves better.

As one of our priests used to say at church, you don't have to like your family, but you do have to know them.

To find out more about the census, visit http://1940census.archives.gov/