Vacation plans?

[Sonya]

I know it's probably hard for you all to go out of town, with all your critters, but everyone needs some down time!

I only have my two dogs but usually plan vacay to places they can go with us. We actually do a few small trips instead of one big one....which I do want to do someday....somewhere tropical (more tropical than Florida...lol), for like 10 days....a cruise or something like that. It just has to be after my old dog has crossed the bridge. I can't leave him for that long, I just can't, I would be miserable worrying and feeling guilty.

So we are leaving this week to rent a cabin about 8 hrs away, in the Upper peninsula of Michigan, dogs going of course. Our cabin is right on miles and miles of trails so we will be riding our side by side a lot and hitting a casino up there, just 4 days. It's right on Lake Superior.

Mid June we are going to Holden Beach, NC with my sis and nieces for 4 days....dogs will have to be in a kennel (I already feel guilty and haven't left yet). We rented a condo on the beach so looking forward to relaxing where it's actually warm.

Labor Day we rented a cabin on a lake called Torch Lake in the lower penninsula (about 6 hrs)...me, hubby and the dogs will be boating the chain of lakes up there, 4 days also. Then right after is the big boat party on our lake at our camp so we will be able to go to that.

Than finally, Oct we rented a cabin a couple hours from our camp, we will be fishing for salmon from our little aluminum boat with the dogs in the Manistee River/Lake Michigan for a few days. I love to Salmon fish!

I'm not much into shopping, museums, Etc...I am easily pleased....as long as I'm outside I am happy. I love to be outdoors, fish, boat and ride the trails.

My sister mentioned something about Vegas for a couple days in November but no plans yet.

So that's my exciting plans for the year....what about you all? What do you have planned?

I need suggestions for an all inclusive resort somewhere tropical for someday!

 

[eagles ring farm]

My vacation time is home as I work m-f, 9-5 it's great to be home with the horses

and my crafts are fun too

We take day trips sometimes overnight to horse shows, I love fishing but we sold our bass boat

we just weren't using it

so now just off the bank now. We go to the river to fish for catfish mostly now

 

[Sonya]

I love to fish...will fish from a bank, a raft, wading, whatever I can find. I love water, that's why I think I'd like a cruise. It's nice you have somewhere close...we do by our camp but not by our house.

 

[chandab]

Vacation? What's that? We are pretty much busy year round, there is no taking a vacation, the closest we get is when we sell calves in the fall, we go over night.

 

[Sonya]

I can't function without down time. We are lucky as we do get a lot of vacation time and when me and hubby leave work we can leave it at work for the most part. We don't have traditional days off, our days off are Tuesday/Wednesday. Which I've actually learned to like after 15 years, except friends and family always have Saturday/Sunday off which makes it hard for us to do anything with anyone or attend family functions....which isn't necessarily a bad thing . We can take our vacation time however we want, all at once or day by day, even in hour increments, as long as there is coverage at work. I do plan a three day weekend for at least once every month to six weeks for the months we don't have plans to actually go somewhere like I mentioned above. We do have a camp a couple hours from our home that we go to on the weekends, that's near lakes and national Forrest. I find my self counting down to those 3 day weekends, it's the only thing that keeps me sane at work....don't get me wrong, I am appreciate and love my job but I love my time off even more. That is one reason we got rid of the horses and goats. They were hobby for me, not income. We wanted to be able to go to camp and go away overnight without having to worry or hire a pet sitter. We can retire early, so I do look forward to that. I am thinking of going back to school to be a surveyor or something I can make my own schedule when we retire.

 

[shorthorsemom]

we milk cows 7 days a week so no vacation for us. We do have a nice piece of property with a stream running through it with wildlife and woods so I always say I live my vacation. We take time for hiking and fishing and the kids love to look for arrow heads and native American artifacts in the fields after we plow or disc.

Too stressful to travel and too many critters to trust anyone to take care of them for me. The upside of all this is when I want a new critter or something new for the family I say "Hey, lets get a little "vacation", and I can justify spending money on something for me or a family member for something extra special and it isn't Christmas or a birthday. Last year we all went on "vacation" and went to a Micky Dolenz and Peter Noone concert together.

We mostly do day trips. We get together for a tractor show every summer and the kids work on an item to display with their name on it. Last year we took a collectable lawn tractor and a big tractor. Our kids don't ever complain so we must be doing something right. They do get to go on class trips and often get an invite to share vacation with a friend which is very nice of folks to share their vacations with our children.

Love this thread, will be like going on a virtual vacation by reading what other folks do. Share with detail please

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Breyerfest for me this year. We'll kennel the dogs (which kills me, I miss them so bad, but they just can't come) and we have a farm sitter come out. It's only 5 days but I can't wait.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

The only "vacation" I have planned for this summer is a horse show in West Virginia. I hope you enjoy your vacation though !

 

[Minimor]

I don't go on vacations. I really don't go anywhere. I get 6 weeks of vacation time each year; I use up a week of that in July for our two local ASPC/AMHR shows, and then for the most part the rest of that is used up in Sept./Oct when I take time off to stay home & work with the horses, do fall work around the place, etc....and then I keep 3 days or so for winter storm days.

My idea of vacation is staying at home, no going to work, no going to town for anything (would be ideal but of course I do have to go in & buy groceries, oats and cat food!!)...just staying at home working and spending time with the horses.

 

[Performancemini]

Yeah, vacation, what's that? My husband makes "workaholic" look like a vacation (poor guy). Works two jobs and then tries to catch up at home on Sunday. The few shows we attend and the county fair are considered vacation. But with bills from my foot/ankle and hand injuries this past year it has eliminated all but our mini club's show (which is local to us) and the county fair and a few local shows that have a bit of halter and driving. The Fair is the actual looked forward to vacation. It's basically a week long with showing 4 of the 6 days.

 

[Riverrose28]

We last took a vacation in 1999, we went to Disney World and Sea World, I had a blast. Even then we had three people here taking care of animals and we went in Sept. after harvesting.

This year since we have been downsizing we have reservations in June to go to Dominican Republic, and stay at an all inclusive spa resort. We are going for five days and luckily our farm help is staying around the clock so I don't have to board the dogs otherwise I wouldn't go. Still hubby is worried, but he really needs this so we are going. The best part is my youngest daughter is paying for it all as an anniversary gift.

 

[MiniNHF]

Second week of June the BF and I are heading down for our yearly vacation down in Wilmington NC. He goes on a diving trip for the week to dive for megladon teeth (meg/shark teeth). Usually while he is diving I am working remotely to give me something to do and if they have a blow out day we go out and do something/find something to do.

No other vacations planned as of yet.

 

[Sonya]

Oh Riverrose, what a great gift. My husband is reading this too and he said they have great cigars in the Dominican...lol. You will have to post pictures.

 

[MiniNHF]

We last took a vacation in 1999, we went to Disney World and Sea World, I had a blast. Even then we had three people here taking care of animals and we went in Sept. after harvesting.

This year since we have been downsizing we have reservations in June to go to Dominican Republic, and stay at an all inclusive spa resort. We are going for five days and luckily our farm help is staying around the clock so I don't have to board the dogs otherwise I wouldn't go. Still hubby is worried, but he really needs this so we are going. The best part is my youngest daughter is paying for it all as an anniversary gift.

I went to the Dominican last year for my BF's sisters wedding and I absolutely loved it. First time out of the country and I would definitely go back there for a vacation!

 

[Tab]

I need down time. We are hoping for some weekend camping trips this Summer. We have a Honda Element and have already camped in it. With it, along with a tent, we're completely set! For our 10th anniversary we returned to the Smoky Mountains. My amazing mom watched our boys and hayed and watered horses while we were gone. This was the first time we had been apart from our boys for that long besides a hospital stay! We found our honeymoon cabin and stayed for 3 nights, we otherwise slept in the Element for all other nights in the park (paid for camping zones). I had two memory foam toppers and 2 comforters, plus a plush duvet cover. We were very comfortable. Without the seats the space in back is about the size of a full-size bed, and if it rains the boys are still small and can probably huddle in with us just fine. We don't have anything planned, but I believe that family memories need to be made, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune to make them. Our vehicle, that we bought used, will hopefully pay for itself eventually by being able to camp in it.

PS My boys thinks it's blood and guts lol. It's just a blue and red comforter!

 

[Sonya]

PS My boys thinks it's blood and guts lol. It's just a blue and red comforter!

Haha I thought the exact same thing when I glanced at it. I love to camp. We use to camp a lot...tent, then pop up, 5th wheel and then a motor home. We sold our motor home last spring because we were only using it 3-4 times a year, was not worth the cost at all and all these little trips we are taking this year would of been in it, but it's actually cheaper to just rent a cabin (and easier). We still have a small tent and a few camping supplies and we do plan on camping overnight at an area we can ride our buggy too, it's national forest so there aren't any fees. It will be very rustic camping so only one night at a time with nothing fancy...some hot dogs on a disposable grill and a roll of teepee!

 

[REO]

Never been on vacation in my life

But I dream of it everyday.

 

[anoki]

First 'real' vacation I've had in many years, the whole family (mom and dad, brother, his wife and 2 boys-both under 10, sister, her husband and 3 girls-oldest 12 yrs, other sister and myself) went to Bermuda back in March for my parents 45 anniversary. I only went for 5 days, it was a nice trip. I'd like to go again, and hopefully not worry about the animals at home

.

My last 'vacation' was back in April. 9 days in Missouri at the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America's National Specialty……that was NO holiday let me tell you!!! 6 dogs on the road for that many days. But that is usually what my 'holidays' consist of these days…road trips around dog shows

I'm really hoping I can make it out to BC this year to visit good friends….just don't know if I can afford it with the price of plane tickets these days

~kathryn

 

[Marty]

Nothing here either. Not even a lousy day trip.

I haven't had a get away since my honeymoon some 30 years ago.

Because I have animals and no one to trust. sigh.....

 

[Sonya]

Nothing here either. Not even a lousy day trip.

I haven't had a get away since my honeymoon some 30 years ago.

Because I have animals and no one to trust. sigh.....

It is very hard to find someone. When I did have my horses, goats and chickens (about 6 years ago). I placed an add in my local paper for a farm sitter. I had over 100 calls and a few phone/personal interviews, I gave up. Then like 2 weeks later a lady called me out of the blue, a friend had given her my number from the add. She was perfect! She worked a vet clinic and was the nicest woman ever, didn't live far from me. She was very knowledgable and trustful. She would come twice a day and feed, clean stalls, get my mail, water my plants, etc. We were going to our weekend place (a campground at the time) about 3 weekends a month in the summer. We ended up buying a house near the campground, that's when I decided to sell my animals. We were gone entirely too much, it was expensive for the farm sitter and not fair to the horses. I don't think the goats or chickens cared much. I still talk to my farm sitter and she has watched my dogs a few times. She has a kennel now but when she watches my dogs they stay in her house just like family members. This year when we go to the beach I decided to kennel them though. She is busy now with a bunch of kids. I didn't want to overwhelm her. I got very lucky in finding her at the time though.