Meemaw’s Bucket List

My Bucket List is always changing, and I think that’s a GOOD thing. 

Some items that seemed so important to me in the past have now taken a back seat to smaller, simpler things to accomplish. And some of those smaller things give me greater joy and a bigger sense of accomplishment than all the others on the list. Small things like watching a grandchild’s baseball game or swim meet or school concert. Or cooking together in the kitchen. Or cuddled up together on the couch reading a book. Or laughing as the kids give Peepaw a “make-over.”

Our seven grandchildren have turned my list upside down…and I couldn’t be happier about that. Being a grandparent has allowed me to simply BE. To sit and watch…and not feel guilty about the laundry piling up or the dishes in the sink. I’ve come to realize those events involving our grandchildren are more precious than any trip or food or adventure.

That being said, I still relish the thrill of seeing new places, eating new foods, and trying new things. Because…I may be old…but I’m not dead yet. And a Bucket List is a great way to make sure I’m not wasting a minute of my life…no matter where I am!

So after a grateful glance in the rear view mirror and reviewing the true passions I’ve discovered in my life, I’ve realized my current list falls into four categories: FAMILY, TRAVEL, FOOD, and ADVENTURE. So here is my list as of today…but the beauty of any Bucket List is…it can change in a heartbeat! 

FAMILY

MARRY THE RIGHT GUY….Check 

My hubby was my high school sweetheart…and 45 years later, we’re still “an item.” Enough said.

LIVE TO SEE OUR SONS AS ADULTS…Check

Our two sons brought such joy to our lives when they were children and teenagers…and now, as adults, their wives have added even more joy to our family circle.

LIVE TO SEE AND LOVE GRANDCHILDREN…Check x 7!!!

When our sons placed each of our seven grandchildren in our arms for the first time, the love we began to feel for each one of them is something only grandparents can understand. And every day spent with our family is a blessing we treasure. Here is where my heartstrings are tugging me, every single day. There is NO TIME more precious to me than those days spent with family…and our grandchildren are the center of my universe. 

A FAMILY TRIP TO DISNEYWORLD

Carving out the time and the resources to take our entire family to Disneyworld is a dream of mine. I hope we can make it a reality before the grandkids outgrow it and Peepaw and I become too feeble to enjoy it!

A FAMILY CRUISE…Or Two!

There is really no better way for an extended family to spend time together than to board a cruise ship, headed to ANYWHERE! There are activities for all ages and when the whole family comes together at dinnertime, the conversations never stop.  

I would love to take our family on a Caribbean cruise and to also experience a cruise and train adventure in Alaska. (I’ve done both many times myself.) I know our grandchildren would remember those adventures forever.

TRAVEL

VISIT IRELAND

One of the top items on my list involves exploring my family roots. 

My Grandfather Grady (and his father before him) were prominent businessmen who’s entrepeneurial spirit helped to shape the future of a small town in Iowa. Grandpa is the handsome young man, seated, in this picture.

All I know about these Irish ancestors is that they hailed from County Cork. It is my fervent dream and desire to visit Ireland, and I want to visit that country the same way Peepaw and I explore America. I want to visit the small towns, eat pub meals, and connect with local people in County Cork and throughout the beautiful country while exploring my Grady family history and walking where my fair-skinned, red-haired relatives walked!

LONDON

One of our Florida neighbors is from the UK, and I love hearing her stories about England. (She has actually had tea with Prince Charles and Camilla in the garden at Buckingham palace!) I would LOVE a guided tour of London, and I would also head out into the countryside to meet the “locals.” (I won’t bother to add Tea At The Palace to my list…fat chance!)

PARIS

For a “Foodie” like me, a trip to Paris would be a dream. I would love to sit outside at those small cafes and enjoy the amazing cuisine…all while people watching (one of my favorite pastimes). Come to think about it…a plate of garlic laden escargot with crusty French bread and a glass of wine should be a Bucket List item of its own!

RIVER CRUISES-EUROPE

As some of you know, I owned a cruise travel agency, so cruising holds a special place in my heart. (I was onboard scores of ships in those cruising days.) I LOVE the water, and I know river cruises in Europe are a wonderful way to explore entire regions without changing hotels or packing and unpacking. Sign me up for one like this! 

CLEVELAND…Yes, Cleveland.

Chef Michael Symon is truly one of my favorite chefs in the world. And his love of his hometown must be contagious because I’ve developed a burning desire to visit Cleveland! I might also add that he owns a number of highly regarded restaurants there that I would LOVE to try. 

AUTUMN IN NEW ENGLAND

The beauty of America never ceases to amaze Peepaw and me. And Autumn in the Northeast is a breathtaking experience to everyone who has viewed Mother Natures’s paintbrush at work there. (Now if only I can find an Autumn week when Peepaw can be torn away from college football. Your suggestions to help me accomplish this task would be most welcome!)

NEW YORK CITY’S BROADWAY SHOWS  

I’ve always had a flair for the dramatic (I bet you’ve already guessed that!) so experiencing some Broadway shows is a dream of mine. I’ve been to New York City once, but it was to do ship inspections, and to have lunch onboard the QE2 as she was beginning an Around The World cruise, so The Great White Way is still calling my name!

NIAGARA FALLS

While my Bucket List has landed me in New York, I want see that amazing wonder: Niagara Falls. It must be simply breathtaking.

THE GRAND CANYON…Check!

Even the most jaded human beings become speechless when they stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon.  What an amazing place. And it only goes to show how small we really are in the grand scheme of things.

EXPLORE MICHIGAN BY LAND AND WATER

Michigan holds several entries on my Domestic Bucket List:

I want to see the area Chef Mario Batali calls home every summer…a small town called Leelanau.  The snippets he shares on Twitter and Instagram always whet my appetite for both the cuisine and the scenery in that area.

I also want to see Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  The photos I’ve seen are spectacular…and I’m hoping to see it in person with my old eyes.

And I want to take the S.S. Badger Car Ferry from Luddington, Michigan, to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It’s a four hour, 60 mile cruise on a steam ship that carries 620 passengers and 180 cars, tour buses, RV’s and semi trucks! The ship has been granted status as a National Historic Landmark.

RENT A HOUSEBOAT ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Name one person who hasn’t dreamed of reliving Huck Finn’s river adventures…and we’ve got just the group of Iowa friends who could help us pull that off.

FOOD

B SPOT BURGERS, Indianapolis…Check!

Chef Michael Symon has created the ULTIMATE burger joint! In fact, it was SO GOOD I think I’ll put this place back on my bucket list again!

NEW ORLEANS FOOD…Check!

My days spent in the cruise industry took me to The French Quarter quite often and several bucket list items were crossed off there. I’ve enjoyed dinner served on crisp white linens on the lawn of a white-columned antebellum mansion while listening to soulful jazz under the stars, and I’ve had dinner while cruising down the Mississippi on an authentic paddle wheeler as Dixieland Jazz played for our enjoyment. And I’ve savored some amazing meals in famous restaurants there as well…

COMMANDERS PALACE, New Orleans…Check!

Commander’s Palace has been around since 1880 serving Creole specialties. Need I say more?

ARNAUD’S, New Orleans…Check!

Since 1918, this beautiful old eatery has been serving creole and seafood dishes to rival any other. Dinner at Arnaud’s is a beautiful thing.

BREAKFAST AT BRENNAN’S, New Orleans…Check!

Bananas Foster…for breakfast!  What a decadent treat.

BEIGNETS AT CAFE DU MONDE, New Orleans…Check!

For someone who isn’t crazy about desserts, this stop in The Crescent City is worth the calories. Just remember not to wear black when eating beignets or the powdered sugar snowfall will follow you for the rest of the day.

BOTTEGA, Yountville, Napa Valley

TV host and chef Michael Chiarello’s Italian restaurant…smack dab in the middle of wine country.  His risotto sounds amazing…

FRONTERA GRILL, Chicago

Chef Rick Bayless has been a TV chef for years, and I’ve always wanted to get his take on authentic Mexican fare.

LOLA, Cleveland

Chef Michael Symon’s famous restaurant in a city I’ve never seen.  That makes for a Bucket List double-whammy!

EATALY, New York City

TV host and Chef Mario Batali, along with mother and son chefs and TV personalities Lidia and Joe Bastianich, are the brains behind what I call this amazing “Culinary Disney World For Foodies.” I’m sure I could spend a WEEK there.

ADVENTURE

WHITEWATER RAFTING…Check!

I’ve experienced both hot and cold! The hot was in Costa Rica, rafting down a river…and dodging tree branch/spears thrown at us by an over-protective mother monkey in a tree! And cold was in Alaska…rocketing down through a deep canyon as rain and melting snow turned the sometimes-docile water into a raging river.  (Both trips were absolutely awesome!)

TAKE A GONDOLA RIDE IN VENICE…Check!

We even got a serenade from our Gondolier…And he dropped us off at Rialto Market. That outdoor market has been there since 1097!!! What a beautiful city, and I would return to Italy in a heartbeat. My trip only scratched the surface of that beautiful country.

SNORKELING AND SCUBA DIVING…Check!

I’ve been “swimming with the fishes” in the Caribbean, and I loved every minute of it! Whether snorkeling on St. John, or scuba diving on St. Thomas, there is no feeling like being inside that giant aquarium also known as the ocean. And yes…I may be getting old…but I haven’t lost my love of adventure.  And I don’t plan to any time soon.

RIDE A THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSE

I grew up with horses, and the thrill of a full-out gallop is a feeling I still remember. Now I would like the experience on a racetrack!

As you can see…my Bucket List is all over the board…just like me…but that’s the way I’ve lived my life for 65 years! And I hope that never changes until I take my last breath.  

HOST AND ESCORT WINE TOURS

As some of you may know, we are planning a return to Oregon wine country this summer, and I am already scouting out more wineries I want to explore. And I hope to one-day visit the wine regions of California, especially the Cabernet Sauvignon producing regions, since RED is my FAVORITE color (at least when it comes to wine).

Why stop there? I want to explore the vineyards and wineries of the world…and pour some more! And after I get “the lay of the land,” as my dad said, let’s go back TOGETHER. I’ve missed that part of the travel industry: escorting groups of like minded travelers to wonderful places! I would love to start it up again.

COOKING CLASSES AROUND THE WORLD

One of the best ways to explore a culture is through their food…so enroll me in cooking classes…and you can come too! Let’s go to Italy, Spain, and Greece for starters.

BE A GUEST ON “THE CHEW” TV SHOW

I’ve watched The Chew since the very first episode, and I feel like I’m already “besties” with Michael Symon, Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Daphne Oz and Clinton Kelly. Their chemistry is awesome…and their cooking is too! In fact, I’d love to eat at any of their restaurants…or in their kitchens!

I think Saint Augustine summed it up beautifully…

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”