Pocketful of Memory Cards

...it's gratitude Monday.  Almost fifteen years ago I joined a writing group along with three amazing women. We did all sorts of different projects mostly from The Artist's Way.  One multi-talented woman, I'll call her Lizzie, inspired me with a book she made for herself long before expressing gratitude was fashionable.  I think it was called "I Feel Rich When..", an illustrated collection of the little things in her life that made her feel rich.  I don't think she ever published it but I'm hoping she has it still.  Expressing gratitude is a great way to make you feel rich in all the ways that count and I truly believe it leads to an increase in reasons for gratitude. Today I'm grateful for: 71.  my friends both old and new, you encourage and inspire me and make me feel rich! 72.  the way so many of our plans seemed to go awry on our Venezuela vacation.  These changes led to some amazing experiences we wouldn't have had other wise.  ...

Sitting in the Calgary Airport admiring the view of city set against the stunning Rocky Mountains.  It's been a long trip to get home.  Landed in Toronto at 10pm last night, left this morning at 7am with an hour in Calgary to switch to a plane bound for home.  Unfortunately that plane originated in Montreal where they had freezing rain this morning.  Our flight has been delayed one hour.  Had a lovely trip but it will sure be great to be home!

For a while I was beginning to think our trip to Venezuela was more like a tour of airports than a vacation.  From the time we arrived on January 17th, until we landed in Porlamar Margarita this afternoon, we'd been on eleven different flights.  I can't say eleven different planes because we took the same plane with Angel for three different flights.   It's been a lot of air time and a lot of time waiting in airports, but when I look back on the photos I've posted here over the past two weeks, it's been a pretty amazing trip.  I'm grateful to my husband for his planning, his patience, and his translation skills. There's still two flight left to get us back to our home sweet home, but I think it's been worth it. The airport in Porlamar A plane coming towards the runway at Los Roques Coming in for a landing at Ciudad Bolívar Airport  Landing at the Canaima Airport - this was the only one that made me feel nervous. Arriving ...

This was the plane we took to Los Roques with a company called Chapi Air.  We sat in the very back with twelve other brave souls in front of us.  It was pretty squishy.  Thank goodness it was a short flight - about 40 minutes.  I've been in small planes before but nothing like this one.  When we flew through a rainstorm, water sprayed through the gaps in the door.  Luckily there was a door for every two seats so I didn't feel too claustrophobic and planned my escape should a "water landing" be required.