Ok, so I have no excuse for not blogging in the past year but that it just simply got away from me.  So, I will absolutely have some catching up to do…. starting with last week.

When I had a last-minute opportunity to combine a site visit to the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford for work and a Cape Cod birthday visit to see my Grandmother, I absolutely jumped on that. With a quick conversation with my travel agent, I had a 5:25 AM US Airways flight the  next day.  I toured the gorgeous downtown Hartford Convention Center with the lovely Heather, sales manager as well as the adjoining Marriott. It didn’t take me much to decide that this will be PERFECT for our August 2012 conference with the intention of attracting the Boston, Providence & NYC markets.

And before I knew it, there was MOM in the parking lot!  She drove up from south Jersey early that morning and off we were to Cape Cod!  Just 2.5 hours and a Subway and Dunkin’ Donuts trip later we arrived on the Cape.  A wonderful part of the country that is a huge part of my childhood.  I spent summer vacations here as a little girl and if I am lucky will be able to return for years to come.  We parked outside of Epoch nursing home and within minutes were dining with my grandparents.

Without exaggeration, this will go down as one of the most special meals of my life. This birthday dinner was set up for my grandmother especially and her out-of-town guests  in the library, a private dining room. We were served Chardonnay, shrimp cocktail, roast beef, steamed veggies, red potatoes and of course strawberry cheesecake by 4 lovely administration members and event staff at the nursing home. But that is not what was so special about this meal.  We were there for my grandmother for her special dinner, after a last-minute invitation, and could hand deliver her roses and cards and kisses!  This meant the world to her. My grandfather picked out a special outfit, her best jewelry and it melted my heart when he even sprayed her with her favorite Elizabeth Arden perfume. We teared up as we read cards and gave big hugs before departing with my grandfather to sleep in their home.

Grandmom and I

It may have been 8,10 years since I vacationed in Cape Cod and slept in their beautiful home. Mom and I rested well, enjoyed conversation, breakfast and coffee with my grandfather before our 9:30 AM departure to get me to the airport.  I can’t thank my Mom enough for making the long drive from NJ to make this mini trip work out.

And in the meantime, my husband was chartering a boat with his uncle and fishing for King Salmon on Lake Michigan! He had a successful trip to Michigan and when we met each other in our home Friday evening, we spent an hour together cutting up and placing portion size Salmon fillets in freezer bags for us to enjoy for the next year!

Josh and Uncle Steve on Lake Michigan

And tonight, he grilled me dinner!