Travel alone or with a tour group?

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It is week two of my solo adventure in France. I have learned a lot about myself and group travel. As some of you know, I have lived alone for 20 years and have been retired for nine. I am pretty independent to say the least. So, having to decide whether to travel alone or with a group tour was the question. For my first overseas solo adventure, I planned to go with a group tour.

Tour group

Pros of group travel

  • Someone else is in charge of the arrangements. All you have to do is pay and show up.
  • You pay one up front cost usually.
  • Someone picks you up at the airport usually making transfers easy.
  • You have a ready group of people to hang out with.
  • A tour guide or director handles any issues that come up.
  • Transportation is,or can be, arranged for you.
  • Dining out experiences may have more variety as others may pick somewhere you would never select on your own.
  • Typically your guides are local so they know the area well.
  • Groups help you feel safe upon arrival. We have 20 people in our tour group, six couples, four widows, two single ladies, and two married ladies who are traveling without their husbands. We are 55+ with the oldest being 95!

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Solo travel adventure – France

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For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of renting a villa in the south of France, Provence, for a month and live like the locals. Eating fresh fruits, vegetables and fish, seasoned with the best spices. While I did not rent a villa, I am living in Provence, France for three weeks for my solo travel adventure abroad. After one week, I can tell you it is living up to my dream.

solo travel adventure France
Fountaine de la Rotonde, Aix-en-Provece (Photo by slc)

I booked a tour with Smithsonian Journeys back in January so I could be in France on my 65th birthday in August. That tour was cancelled due to lack of participation so here I am in September. I booked my own flights and flew solo from Colorado to France via Chicago and London. Our tour driver picked up six of us travelers outside of the baggage claim in the Marseille, France airport.

Roussillon
Roussillon, France (Photo by slc)

So far, the architecture, history lessons and the food are superb. The hilltop villages in the Luberon region have been my favorites so far, with Arles close behind. On Sunday, we will visit Avignon for more history lessons and many photos.

One of the primary reasons I chose Smithsonian Journeys is we stay in one place in Aix-de-Provence. I unpacked once and live in a city apartment for my entire stay. Options for further excursions exist: culinary, art and cultural, and French language tracks. I chose the art and cultural track.

This tour also allows for five or six days on your own. These days are a nice break from the group travel. While I meet up with the group for excursions and some meals, I have plenty of small group or alone time. It is our choice whether to join in on the group activities or go it alone.

As the famous author Peter Mayle wrote in Toujours Provence, “There are no regrets, few complaints, many pleasures.”

15 Ways An Elder Law Attorney Can Help Family Caregivers

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June 13, 2024, Caring.com

elder law attorney

Planning for the future can seem impossible when facing so many unknown variables. From wondering if or when you or a loved one will need caregiving to worrying about affording long-term care, many people find themselves overwhelmed and afraid of the burden these uncertainties may create. By planning for the future, you can protect yourself, your spouse and other loved ones – especially if the plan is written into legally binding documents that guide caregivers and family members when navigating difficult situations and making tough choices about medical care and finances.

According to the Administration for Community Living, there is a 69% chance of seniors over the age of 65 needing long-term care, whether at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home. Seniors transferring into long-term care may qualify for government assistance, and planning can help retain assets for a spouse or loved one. Resources also exist to provide financial assistance for paid family caregiving in many states.

An elder care attorney can be an invaluable resource while planning and will guide you and your loved ones through the laws to protect and preserve a senior’s legal rights. Finding good legal assistance can be difficult, but the information in this guide can help you understand when to speak to an elder care attorney, how they can help and how to choose the right one.

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Sherry’s solo adventure #1

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solo adventure trip map
Solo Adventure #1 Trip Map

Preparation for first solo adventure:

  1. Checked out books from the public library to see what sites I wanted to visit besides Yellowstone and the Tetons on my travels to Wyoming and Idaho.
  2. Came up with the route which connected these sites and sent travel plans with a map (see above) to my oldest sister in case of an emergency.
  3. Researched weather patterns as to best time to travel with few tourists traveling the same route. Settled on end of September and beginning of October, 2023.
  4. As this was mostly a hiking and photography trip, I selected clothing, shoes and camera accessories accordingly.
  5. Took my small dog, Goldi, to vet for immunizations so she could be boarded during my travel.
  6. Decided to pack most of my clothing and shoes in a bag I would not take in to hotels. I would just take things from that bag daily and put dirty clothes in a separate laundry bag I left in the car.
  7. Made sure my vehicle was ready for the road trip and my mail held.
  8. At least a month before leaving on my solo trip, I reserved all of the hotel rooms so I didn’t have to worry about where I would lay my head each night.
  9. Packed luggage, pillow, satellite phone, some snacks, drinks and some wine.
  10. Acquired a new credit card (Marriott Bonvoy Bold from Chase) to rack up travel points for future travel.
solo adventure

Grasshoppers – Day 1 – Drove from Greeley, CO to Rock Springs, WY (332 miles)

  1. Dropped off Goldi (my dog) for boarding in Eaton, CO ($30/day)
  2. Stopped in Larimie, WY for thrift store shopping ($0) and lunch at the Prairie Rose Cafe ($14)
  3. Drove along Snowy Mountain Scenic Byway, Mirror Lake ( see photo)
  4. Stayed at Clarion Hotel in Rock Springs, WY ($126.72 )

Sheep are White – Day 2 – Drove from Rock Springs, WY to Burley, ID (333 miles)

  1. Visited the first and second JC Penney stores in Kemmerer, WY (tea $4)
  2. Got gas in Rock Springs ($3.87/gal) for $48.80
  3. Relaxed in the world famous hot springs in Lava Hot Springs, ID ($7.50 + towel rental)
  4. Browsed in antique shop in old town Pocatello, ID until it closed at 6:00 pm ($0)
  5. Checked in to Fairfield Inn in Burley, ID and listened to roofers until 8:00 pm (water $3)

Sick in Burley, ID – Day 3 – Spent the day in hotel room

  1. Woke up at 5:00 am sick, so no expenses or driving today
  2. Listened to roofers pounding away starting at 8:00 am and ending at 7 pm
  3. Stayed in bed until 12:30 pm
  4. Another night at Fairfield Inn ($258.38 for two nights )
solo adventure

Faith over Fear – Day 4 – Drove from Burley, ID to Hailey, ID (164 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Got gas ($3.96/gal) in Burley for $39.06
  3. Visited the Encampment at Minidonka, ID (not much to see)
  4. Browsed at thrift shop in Shosoni, ID ($0)
  5. Purchased frozen pizza, water, granola, Tylenol and razors at Natural Grocers in Hailey ($?)
  6. Enjoyed soaking in the hotel hot tub solo
  7. Stayed at Fairfield Inn in Hailey, ID
Snake River

Going on a Moose Hunt – Day 5 – Hailey, ID to Stanley, ID and back (147 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Drove along Sawtooth Scenic highway for photography of Sawtooth Mountain Range and the Salmon River (see photo)
  3. Purchased yummy Wild Huckleberry Licorice in Stanley ($9)
  4. Purchased lasagna, wine, and dinner roll at Albertson’s for dinner in my hotel room ($31.45)
  5. Stayed at Fairfield Inn in Hailey, ID ($240.80 for two nights)
Tetons

Anticipation – Day 6 – Drove from Hailey, ID to Rexburg, ID (266.4 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Got gas ($4.19/gal) in Hailey for $41.86
  3. Visited Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve near Arco, ID
  4. Drove to Driggs, ID to photograph back side of the Tetons (see photo)
  5. Drove back to Rexburg, ID
  6. Stayed at Springhill Suites in Rexburg, ID ($145.80)

Natural Beauty – Day 7 – Rexburg, ID to Jackson, WY (211 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Visited Yellowstone National Park (free with senior pass) , Old Faithful; Saw one bison ($37.08 souvenirs)
  3. Visited Grand Teton National Park (free with senior pass), ($39.21 souvenirs)
  4. Saw antler arches in downtown Jackson, WY
  5. Stayed at Anvil Hotel in downtown Jackson, WY

Rain, Rain Go Away – Day 8 – Jackson, WY (Drove 313.6 miles)

  1. No breakfast, ate a blueberry muffin from Rexburg, ID hotel
  2. Cold and rainy! Thankful for heated steering wheel
  3. Saw Moose off Gros Ventre Rd in Jackson Hole
  4. Visited Grand Teton National Park ($63.57 gifts for grandkids)
  5. Saw family of moose at Moose Junction
  6. Visited Jenny Lake in the rain
  7. Ate at Doran’s Pizza and Pasta Co. for early dinner/beverage ($26)
  8. Visited Mormon Row early/late in the day, took lots of photos
  9. Stayed at Anvil Hotel in downtown Jackson, WY ($440.20 for two nights)

Home Again, Home Again Jiggity Jog – Day 9 – Jackson, WY to Greeley, CO (483 miles)

  1. No hotel breakfast
  2. Got gas ($4.20/gal) for $41.99 in Jackson and again in Laramie for $45.01
  3. Picked up Goldi from boarding facility (total $240)
  4. Back home safely

First Solo Trip Takeaways

  1. Pack clothing for variety of weather
  2. Pack medical stuff like thermometer, Tylenol, ice pack, Imodium, laxative
  3. Buy/Pack satellite phone
  4. Keep gas tank at least 1/4 full
  5. Search for gas stations on Google for best price
  6. Let someone know your travel plans
  7. Stay confident and aware
  8. Cut costs when you can so you can splurge on other expenses
  9. Travel and arrive at hotel before dark; get a paper receipt of charges and check it
  10. Faith over fear!

Next solo adventure: Provence area of France this fall

Making Christmas cookies and memories

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Christmas cookies and memories
Pumpkin Cookies, Photo by slc

Remember making a batch of yummy Christmas cookies and memories with your children or grandchildren? Flour was everywhere, as was the laughter and the fun. Today, Christmas Eve, I am baking pumpkin cookies by myself and remembering past family times full of love.

A little over a year ago, close family members became distant and decided they don’t want a relationship with me any more for a variety of reasons. I’m still not really clear what would make them take such drastic and hurtful measures, but I am trying to “radically accept” the situation.

I have fond memories of baking with my daughter when she was growing up. She loved it and she has passed on that love of baking to her daughter. I also have fond memories of my three grandchildren being at my home with their Mom two years ago for Christmas. I tried playing Jingle Bells on the piano with both hands, we made personal pizzas, my granddaughter baked her first cheesecake with the assistance from my daughter, we read the Christmas story from the Bible and opened gifts. We made great memories that day for me to look back on now .

Many of us solo retirees spend the holidays alone for a variety of reasons, loss of family members being one of them. Traditions may be lost, but memories remain. The love remains.

Why am I making pumpkin cookies on Christmas Eve? During one of their last visits to my home, I made pumpkin cookies with my grandchildren. Today, I will enjoy making them alone while thinking of past good memories and hope for making many more in the future.

How about making Christmas cookies and enjoying past memories along with me today if you are also alone? We’ll celebrate together! Thanks for reading.

Retire early? Think again

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I retired at age 55 thinking my 20 year pension would be enough to cover my pre-Medicare healthcare premiums and other expenses until I reached age 65.  I was wrong.

retire early
abc12.com (click image for link to article)

Retiring early has been great, but the expenses due to inflation have increased dramatically. So, thinking about retiring early? Think again.

Like every fall during open enrollment, I recently analyzed my healthcare plan and was shocked to learn my monthly premium was going up again.  Inflation is really taking a bite out of my pension, but there is a silver lining.

The following chart shows the erosion that pre-Medicare healthcare premiums have had on my pension over the years.

Year       Monthly Premium          Monthly Gross Pension

2015                       $131                               $2,055.87

2016                       $131                               $2,055.87

2017                       $170                               $2,055.87

2018                       $210                               $2,055.87

2019                       $334                               $2,055.87

2020                       $384                               $2,055.87

2021                       $461                               $2,081.57

2022                       $500                               $2,107.59

2023                       $553                              $2,128.67

2024                       $616                               $2,149.96

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She shed spring spruce up

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I love being in the mountains.  Almost six years ago, I purchased a small property just outside of Estes Park in Colorado.  I visit “my side of the mountain” several times during the winter just to make sure it’s still there.  Luckily, it is.  Today, I am writing from my picnic table with my little dog, Goldi, beside me.  It’s about 50 degrees with a light breeze; beautiful up here.  I’m also taking inventory of what I need to, or want to, get done up here this summer besides a she shed spring spruce up.

Last year, I built a stone fire pit area, put up a rain gutter, repaired the road which runs through my property, split wood, put up lots of tongue and groove pine on the interior of the shed, put up a little garden fence, and partially furnishing my she shed.

cabin property
she shed spring spruce up

I’ve already started my annual raking of the pine cones and needles and doing a little road repair.  I discovered if I put pine cones and needles in the mud puddles it helps to dry them up and make the road easier to navigate.  My neighbors who live on the mountain year round make the ruts on my property but don’t help to keep it maintained.  We have a community road service guy but he hasn’t been out yet.  

This spring I hope to plant some wild flowers and hope the deer and elk don’t eat them all.  I’ve been preparing a flower bed so the deer can find them easily.

A deck is in the plan this summer.  County code does not allowed me to attach it to my shed.  I would also like to reroof the old cabin, reside one side and put in a sliding glass door.  I may also see about leveling it as it has a rotten sill on the north side.  

This summer, I am most looking forward to coming up here more often. Writing, hiking, and staying overnight for a few days at a time.  I may have to add fixing the slats on my antique bed so I don’t fall through during the night like last year.  I can’t wait! Mountain living is the life for me after my she shed spring spruce up.