Here's the link if you're interested in reading it:
http://www.scribeseeker.com/travel/travel-accommodations/staying-at-a-bed-and-breakfast-make-it-your-choice-next-time-you-travel
I can't crank out articles in the quantity I'd like to but I am enjoying this occasional foray into writing. Before I became ill with CFS I was a technical writer for some major corporations. I got paid a lot of money but I never enjoyed the work. Now, I'm writing about things I'm interested in and it's quite rewarding even if it's not paying me anything. Of course, I still have my work of fiction on the back burner and I hope to get back to work on that when time allows. Regardless, it feels good to use these old rusty skills again.
I'd love to hear your comments on the articles I'm writing.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
I wrote an article, hooray!
A friend of mine has created a website for authors to post their articles. The writers make money when people click on an ad. I figured, what do I have to lose, so I wrote an article this week. I'm feeling pretty good about it so I'm going to post it here too. I'm hoping that my writing skills aren't too dusty after years of neglect. Let me know what you think!
Birthday Parties and Your Food-Allergic Child
When your child has food allergies something as simple as an invitation to a friend's birthday party can cause a great deal of anxiety. However, with a little planning and preparation, your child can safely attend a birthday party and have a great time too.
The first step is to contact the parents of the birthday child by phone or e-mail and inform them that your child has food allergies. This will help to get you over a couple of hurdles: You'll be able to find out what food is being served and you'll help the host parent to make any necessary accommodations. For example, the parent may choose to make a goody bag for your child that has toys or crafts in it instead of food.
Once you know what food is being served you can decide what's safe for your child and if you're comfortable with them eating it. It is not appropriate to ask the host parent to provide special foods for your child and never assume that the other parent is aware of issues like cross-contamination or hidden ingredients. If you know the other food that is being served, i.e., pretzels, potato chips, candy, etc. you can bring your own safe versions when necessary. Your child will feel better eating something that is similar to what the other party goers are enjoying and you can relax knowing that their level of exposure is reduced. This means that you may need to bake your own cupcakes or cake. It's helpful to double recipes and freeze extras when you're doing baking so you always have something ready on short notice.
While at the party there are several things that you can do to reduce your child's exposure to allergens. Obviously, when your child is younger, it's best if you attend the party as well. However, if your child will be attending solo, you can ask the host parent to help out with a few things:
Have your child seated at the end of the table where they will only have one other person next to them.
Have your child's safe foods served on the same party ware that the other children have.
Ask the host parent to provide wet wipes for kids to clean their hands on after eating. Of course, the host may appreciate it if you provide those wet wipes yourself.
Depending on the severity of your child's allergies you may wish to bring an EpiPen, and an anti-histamine. That way, if the worst situation happens, you are prepared and can give your child the care they need. Obviously, if you have an EpiPen you should practice with the trainer pen. If your child is old enough to attend on their own, have them practice using it as well and make sure they understand what the signs of an allergic reaction are.
Educate your child before they go even if you're attending. Explain that they should only eat the food that's provided or that you've identified as safe. Encourage them to wash their hands after eating and when they return home and to never put any thing in their mouths (i.e., noisemakers) that someone else may have used. Talk about the fun activities at the party and try to steer the emphasis away from the food.
If you follow these few tips the whole experience should go smoothly and your child can enjoy the celebration regardless of their allergies.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Reflections on Life With CFS
I received a survey via e-mail from the Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Assocation (www.cfids.org) this afternoon. Most of the questions were very standard like how long I've had it, my work status, etc. The last question threw me for a loop though. It asked, if you woke up tomorrow completely recovered what would be the first thing you'd do?
The list of things I'd want to do is so long but I realized the one thing I'd really like is to be able to pack the whole family into the car and go to an amusement park. Think about that. For most people a day at the amusement park can be tiring but doable. For me, it seems almost insurmountable. I'm usually good for an hour or two of an activity and then I have to rest. To go to a place where resting is not an option, where I will be on my feet most of the time and also having to keep an active eye on my kids is just not possible right now. The walking, the loud noises and the excitement of it all would send me into such a relapse for days afterward it wouldn't be worth it right now.
Thinking about this just brings home the limits having CFS places not only on my life but my family's. I hear other moms talking about driving to the Shore (90 minute drive from here) in the morning, spending the whole day there with their kids and then driving everyone home in time for bed. I can't even imagine that. My kids rarely even get to the playground. Most of their days are spent inside the house. They're not glued to the TV set the whole time but they're not exactly living la vida loca. I worry how this is going to affect them as they grow, especially when they become old enough to realize what other kids are doing with their parents.
Please allow me a little pity party... THIS IS SO UNFAIR!!! I wish they could figure out what exactly is wrong with me and fix it. This has gone on long enough and I want my life back.
The list of things I'd want to do is so long but I realized the one thing I'd really like is to be able to pack the whole family into the car and go to an amusement park. Think about that. For most people a day at the amusement park can be tiring but doable. For me, it seems almost insurmountable. I'm usually good for an hour or two of an activity and then I have to rest. To go to a place where resting is not an option, where I will be on my feet most of the time and also having to keep an active eye on my kids is just not possible right now. The walking, the loud noises and the excitement of it all would send me into such a relapse for days afterward it wouldn't be worth it right now.
Thinking about this just brings home the limits having CFS places not only on my life but my family's. I hear other moms talking about driving to the Shore (90 minute drive from here) in the morning, spending the whole day there with their kids and then driving everyone home in time for bed. I can't even imagine that. My kids rarely even get to the playground. Most of their days are spent inside the house. They're not glued to the TV set the whole time but they're not exactly living la vida loca. I worry how this is going to affect them as they grow, especially when they become old enough to realize what other kids are doing with their parents.
Please allow me a little pity party... THIS IS SO UNFAIR!!! I wish they could figure out what exactly is wrong with me and fix it. This has gone on long enough and I want my life back.
Monday, July 27, 2009
I love getting packages in the mail!
I was having a rough day today. Long story that we don't need to get into. The important thing is that I really needed a pick me up. Tada! The doorbell rings and the FedEx man is here with a new package for me. Yay! To my delight it is the scarf I ordered from novica.com to wear with a dress for a wedding we're attending in August.
If you've never heard of Novica, they are associated with the magazine National Geographic and their mission (copied from their website) is to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. "And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow. At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe. We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it. In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together. NOVICA. The World is Your Market." How cool is that. I really liked how the person who created my scarf had a brief bio on the page and explained her techniques for her art. It made the scarf worth more to me than something I could pick up at Kohl's or Loehmann's even if it would've been cheaper to do so.
I loved the scarf on the web page (http://www.novica.com/itemdetail/index.cfm?pid=156468) but it was even nicer in person. To add to the pleasure of receiving it, it came gift-wrapped with a little hand-woven ornament
on the front of it, and a little card that taught me some simple phrases in the language of Bali (Balinese?). How cool is that? I'm a person who wishes she could be a world traveler but can't so I get my fix by reading about other cultures and this just made my day.
The scarf is even more beautiful in real life but this is a close-up shot of the detail on it.
I can't wait to wear this and I'm so happy I bought this. It is truly unique and not something I would've found in a store around here.
Doing a little happy dance now. :-)
If you've never heard of Novica, they are associated with the magazine National Geographic and their mission (copied from their website) is to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. "And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow. At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe. We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it. In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together. NOVICA. The World is Your Market." How cool is that. I really liked how the person who created my scarf had a brief bio on the page and explained her techniques for her art. It made the scarf worth more to me than something I could pick up at Kohl's or Loehmann's even if it would've been cheaper to do so.
I loved the scarf on the web page (http://www.novica.com/itemdetail/index.cfm?pid=156468) but it was even nicer in person. To add to the pleasure of receiving it, it came gift-wrapped with a little hand-woven ornament
on the front of it, and a little card that taught me some simple phrases in the language of Bali (Balinese?). How cool is that? I'm a person who wishes she could be a world traveler but can't so I get my fix by reading about other cultures and this just made my day.
The scarf is even more beautiful in real life but this is a close-up shot of the detail on it.
I can't wait to wear this and I'm so happy I bought this. It is truly unique and not something I would've found in a store around here.Doing a little happy dance now. :-)
Monday, July 20, 2009
I was raised to believe that doctors know it all and that we should trust them implicitly when it comes to our health care. However, over the years, I've learned that it's so important that we take control of our own health care and work as a team with the doctors. They are only human and make mistakes. This past week I relearned this lesson and thought I'd share my experience with you.
The past couple of months I've been even more exhausted than usual, dizzy and irritable. I knew something was wrong but didn't know what. Finally, I complained enough to my primary care physician that she suggested it might be my iron levels and that I get a blood test. So, two weeks ago, I went in for blood tests and they tested me for a number of things including Lyme, Celiac, the usual CBC, cholesterol, etc. I called a week later for my results and was told that everything was "normal" by the nurse.
In the past I would've let it go at that and just figured this was how life was going to be for me - exhausted without a clue. However, I decided that although this doctor's office was pretty good I wanted to see these results for myself. I requested they mail me a copy. I received it in the mail last Friday and a quick scan of the results did show that everything was in the normal range. However, upon closer examination, I saw that the ferritin (iron) result was 17 with the normal range being 10-154. That seemed a rather low normal to me and I did some poking around on the Internet. Several sites recommend that anyone with a result below 50 take an iron supplement. I should note that my total iron is perfect but this ferritin level also indicates anemia.
I called my doctor's office today and the doctor agreed that I really needed to start taking an iron supplement and that we'd retest my levels in six weeks. Now, if I hadn't requested my lab results I'd never have known that my ferritin was this low and would've continued to suffer. Obviously, the doctor thought that the levels were normal and wouldn't have recommended any changes. I'm not saying that this is going to cure me of chronic fatigue syndrome or anything but, hopefully, it will get me closer to normal than I have been lately.
So, my moral of the story here, is always ask for copies of your labs, ask questions and don't trust others to keep you in your best health. Doctors are only people, they make mistakes and it doesn't help that they see a zillion patients in a day and have people from pharmaceutical companies dropping in at all times.-------------------------
As an addendum I found this journal article which makes me feel very optimistic that my fatigue may get decreased!
BMJ 2003;326:1124 (24 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7399.1124
Primary care
Iron supplementation for unexplained fatigue in non-anaemic women: double blind randomised placebo controlled trial
F Verdon, general practitioner1, B Burnand, senior lecturer2, C-L Fallab Stubi, pharmacist3, C Bonard, general practitioner1, M Graff, general practitioner1, A Michaud, general practitioner1, T Bischoff, general practitioner1, M de Vevey, general practitioner1, J-P Studer, general practitioner1, L Herzig, general practitioner1, C Chapuis, general practitioner1, J Tissot, general practitioner1, A Pécoud, professor3, B Favrat, consultant of internal medicine3
1 General Practice Unit, University of Lausanne, rue du Bugnon 44, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland, 2 Health Care Evaluation Unit, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Lausanne, 3 Medical Outpatient Clinic, University of Lausanne
Correspondence to: B Favrat bernard.favrat@hospvd.ch
Objective To determine the subjective response to iron therapy in non-anaemic women with unexplained fatigue.
Design Double blind randomised placebo controlled trial.
Setting Academic primary care centre and eight general practices in western Switzerland.
Participants 144 women aged 18 to 55, assigned to either oral ferrous sulphate (80 mg/day of elemental iron daily; n=75) or placebo (n=69) for four weeks.
Main outcome measures Level of fatigue, measured by a 10 point visual analogue scale.
Results 136 (94%) women completed the study. Most had a low serum ferritin concentration; 
Conclusion Non-anaemic women with unexplained fatigue may benefit from iron supplementation. The effect may be restricted to women with low or borderline serum ferritin concentrations.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wrinkles and silicone oh my
I recently placed an order online for a soap I use on my kids. It's good for super-sensitive skin and although it doesn't improve my son's eczema it doesn't make it worse. The site I usually order the soap from was out of stock on the economy size so I did a search to find the best price available. That price was at a store that primarily stocked cosmetics and moisturizers but they did have the lowest price and, with a coupon code I found online, they had free shipping. Yippee!
I received the order very quickly and was pleased to find some samples in the box when I opened it. Who doesn't love free samples? This sample was obviously not for my kids but me as it was called an intensive wrinkle corrector. As a 37-year-old (and counting) woman who's really starting to notice these pesky things around my eyes I was excited by this notion of a corrector. In addition, it claimed to be fragrance-free and preservative-free. Yay!
However, having been indoctrinated in label reading due to a kid with food allergies, I quickly developed the creepy crawlies. Check this ingredient list out: (By the way, I googled info on every single ingredient so it may not be 100% scientifically accurate but Google would never lie to me.)
So, after my small amount of research I'm afraid that I'm going to keep my wrinkles. All that silicone makes me think of people like Michael Jackson and, frankly, I wouldn't want to look like him even if he didn't have any wrinkles. Shall I learn to embrace the aging process? Unlikely but at least I will futilely cling to my youth without resorting to chemicals, silicone and other wacky ingredients. It's just not worth it.
I received the order very quickly and was pleased to find some samples in the box when I opened it. Who doesn't love free samples? This sample was obviously not for my kids but me as it was called an intensive wrinkle corrector. As a 37-year-old (and counting) woman who's really starting to notice these pesky things around my eyes I was excited by this notion of a corrector. In addition, it claimed to be fragrance-free and preservative-free. Yay!
However, having been indoctrinated in label reading due to a kid with food allergies, I quickly developed the creepy crawlies. Check this ingredient list out: (By the way, I googled info on every single ingredient so it may not be 100% scientifically accurate but Google would never lie to me.)
- Propylene Glycol - solvent
- Cyclopentasiloxane - silicone
- Ascorbic Acid - sugar acid
- Glycerin - chemical
- Cetyl Peg/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone - silicone
- Dimethicone crosspolymer - silicone
- Lauroyl Lysine - amino acid derivative
- Acrylates Copolymer - binder, emulsion stabilizer provides water resistance to personal care products without the undesirable waxy, greasy or heavy feel. Copolymer of acrylamide and one or more monomers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or one of their simple esters. I still don't know what this is!
- Adenosine - A nucleoside - molecule of adenine attached to a ribose sugar molecule, has anti-inflammatory properties.
So, after my small amount of research I'm afraid that I'm going to keep my wrinkles. All that silicone makes me think of people like Michael Jackson and, frankly, I wouldn't want to look like him even if he didn't have any wrinkles. Shall I learn to embrace the aging process? Unlikely but at least I will futilely cling to my youth without resorting to chemicals, silicone and other wacky ingredients. It's just not worth it.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Cleaning... ugh!
Sunday morning I decided it was high time I tackle our master bedroom. I couldn't remember the last time I cleaned it and my allergies have been horrible. I'm just terrible about cleaning. Maybe it's because I have two young children, could be the CFS, or maybe I just don't like to do it. Regardless, I always feel awful health-wise when I'm done and then I have to deal with the rest of the hurdles my day is throwing at me. However, on Sunday, Doug had been home for a three-day weekend and he was watching the kids so I felt relatively well-prepared to tackle the task and felt assured that he could help take care of them if this cleaning threw me for a loop. That didn't mean the cleaning wasn't accompanied by a lot of grumbling on my part but it got done. I am embarrassed by how much dust I removed and wish that I hadn't let it get to this point. However, it was done after an hour. Ugh.
Coincidentally, a woman in my CFS/Fibromyalgia support group that I run on cafemom.com posted about how awful she feels about how she's let her house go. I made a response that came down to sympathetic murmurings about feeling the same way. However, the woman who posted after me was a genius - just clean for 15 minutes a day and then rest. My wheels started turning and I thought ah ha, I can do that. Instead of not cleaning at all and waiting until it would take me an hour to get a room presentable, if I just did 15 minutes a day my house might start looking a lot better and maybe every one's health in the house would improve. So, I'm going to make this a goal of mine - 15 minutes of cleaning per day. Today, I spent just 15 minutes on the downstairs bath (the powder room) and what an improvement. It's really amazing how much can be done in 15 minutes. I did stop exactly at 15 minutes and then treated myself to a bowl full of fresh cherries and bite of dark chocolate (70% cocoa thank you). As a result, I don't feel that wiped out and I really do feel like I accomplished something.
Another valuable tip I gained from a member of this same group is to keep an accomplishment journal. She posted that at the end of the day she writes down everything that she accomplished that day. Upon looking back at what she wrote she finds that she feels much better about herself. I think this is a great idea. I know that I really need to forgive myself for my limitations and to celebrate what it is I can do. I think that focusing on the negative all the time only hurts my health more. I really would like to focus more on the positive - think about what I can do and what I can accomplish. Maybe I'll be able to find some value in myself as a person again.
Coincidentally, a woman in my CFS/Fibromyalgia support group that I run on cafemom.com posted about how awful she feels about how she's let her house go. I made a response that came down to sympathetic murmurings about feeling the same way. However, the woman who posted after me was a genius - just clean for 15 minutes a day and then rest. My wheels started turning and I thought ah ha, I can do that. Instead of not cleaning at all and waiting until it would take me an hour to get a room presentable, if I just did 15 minutes a day my house might start looking a lot better and maybe every one's health in the house would improve. So, I'm going to make this a goal of mine - 15 minutes of cleaning per day. Today, I spent just 15 minutes on the downstairs bath (the powder room) and what an improvement. It's really amazing how much can be done in 15 minutes. I did stop exactly at 15 minutes and then treated myself to a bowl full of fresh cherries and bite of dark chocolate (70% cocoa thank you). As a result, I don't feel that wiped out and I really do feel like I accomplished something.
Another valuable tip I gained from a member of this same group is to keep an accomplishment journal. She posted that at the end of the day she writes down everything that she accomplished that day. Upon looking back at what she wrote she finds that she feels much better about herself. I think this is a great idea. I know that I really need to forgive myself for my limitations and to celebrate what it is I can do. I think that focusing on the negative all the time only hurts my health more. I really would like to focus more on the positive - think about what I can do and what I can accomplish. Maybe I'll be able to find some value in myself as a person again.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Yes, now I have that catchy Jack Johnson song from the Curious George soundtrack bouncing around in my head. Ah, but this post isn't about that. I was pretty impressed with a project I did yesterday. I was feeling tired, achy and weak so I figured I'd find a nice quiet activity to do. We moved into this house almost five years ago (this is only a slight tangent and it does relate to the project so bear with me) and it took me until about two months ago to finally replace the previous owners' kitchen curtains with something I liked. Home decorating has not been a high priority in my world for various reasons; this is just one sign of that. Anyway, I didn't throw those old curtains out, I washed them and put them away, thinking that maybe I could find another use for them. Yesterday, a little light came on over my head and I thought cat bed. Perfect. This would be a low energy project to keep me busy during the day and it should amuse the kids enough to watch me doing the various steps that I wouldn't have to be too energetic with them. On top of that this project might assuage some of my guilt I've been experiencing in regards to the cats. My son's latest allergy tests showed an increased allergic reaction to cats so they've been sequestered in my office for the past two weeks. Granted, it's a nice room with lots of windows, a bird feeder right outside the window and lots of cat furniture. However, it is just one room and there are four of them. They've been a little stressed as a result and I was hoping this token might help them to feel that they really are still loved.
So, I googled cat bed and got a bunch of hits on how to make them. Most of them were pretty confusing, at least to me, but I got the general idea. I really enjoyed ripping the stitches out of the old curtains because I know they were created by the previous owners and I was never a big fan of them. However, that's another story. After that was done I got out a brown paper grocery bag and traced a big circle to use as a pattern. During this time I took the opportunity to explain the whole reduce, reuse, recycle thing to my son. I told him that I could've thrown the curtains (and the brown paper bag) out but instead we found another use for them. He was more than happy to further reuse the paper bag by coloring on it.
Well, the whole project took me most of yesterday to finish because I had to sew the thing by hand. I admit that I was pretty sloppy with my stitches and I don't expect this to last forever but I am pretty pleased with my first attempt at this. After all, a new cat bed in a store costs about $20 or more and I don't think my cats would have been quite as happy as they are with my homemade efforts. I really think Lucy looks like she's smiling here:
I did enjoy this project and now I'm thinking that if I ever do get a sewing machine (and figure out how to make the bottom a little more rigid) I might do some of these for profit or even donate a few to a local animal shelter. Just a thought.
So, I googled cat bed and got a bunch of hits on how to make them. Most of them were pretty confusing, at least to me, but I got the general idea. I really enjoyed ripping the stitches out of the old curtains because I know they were created by the previous owners and I was never a big fan of them. However, that's another story. After that was done I got out a brown paper grocery bag and traced a big circle to use as a pattern. During this time I took the opportunity to explain the whole reduce, reuse, recycle thing to my son. I told him that I could've thrown the curtains (and the brown paper bag) out but instead we found another use for them. He was more than happy to further reuse the paper bag by coloring on it.
Well, the whole project took me most of yesterday to finish because I had to sew the thing by hand. I admit that I was pretty sloppy with my stitches and I don't expect this to last forever but I am pretty pleased with my first attempt at this. After all, a new cat bed in a store costs about $20 or more and I don't think my cats would have been quite as happy as they are with my homemade efforts. I really think Lucy looks like she's smiling here:
I did enjoy this project and now I'm thinking that if I ever do get a sewing machine (and figure out how to make the bottom a little more rigid) I might do some of these for profit or even donate a few to a local animal shelter. Just a thought.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Review of Noxen Country Dreams B&B
I stayed at the Noxen Country Dreams Bed and Breakfast in Noxen, Pennsylvania on the night of April 11, the night before Easter. This was my big getaway trip, the first night on my own since my kids were born. I read about this B&B on the Internet (their webpage is www.noxencountrydreamsbnb.com) and decided it was just the place I was looking for - a peaceful retreat with a no children allowed policy, a big tub and close enough to Wilkes Barre that I could meet my Mom for church the next morning.
After meeting my Mom at her apartment I set up my GPS and hit the road for Noxen. Traveling up route 309 north I was relieved to see that there were mountains, rolling pastures and not much else once I got past Dallas. I arrived in Noxen well within 30 minutes and found the B&B easily. Seeing as how it was the only business other than a convenient store and a couple of churches it wasn't hard to miss!
I rang the doorbell and was immediately greeted by Wilma, the owner of the B&B. She gave me a tour of the house, my room and also showed me the other rooms since I was the only guest that evening. We returned to my room where she showed me how to operate the gas fireplace and jacuzzi. She also pointed out that she had a bottle of sparkling apple cider chilling in some ice on the kitchenette's counter. She put on some quiet classical music and then left me to settle in. I brought my bags up to my room (all rooms are on the second floor) and decided to relax for a couple of hours before meeting my Mom for supper.
This is what my comfortable bed looked like:
The reading chair next to the gas fireplace (very comfy):
The kitchenette with microwave oven, coffee maker and mini fridge.
Bathroom.
I couldn't wait to test out the jacuzzi tub that evening. I brought my own lavender bath salts and enjoyed soaking, uninterrupted for half an hour. The towels were unbelievably plush and were a real treat.
My morning breakfast.
Since I am avoiding wheat and eggs I was pleasantly surprised by what my host came up with - yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee and orange juice.
Overall, my stay was extraordinarily pleasant and my host went out of her way to make it special. When I returned from dinner that night she had left a bag of jellybeans for me and a note checking to see what time I'd like my breakfast. That breakfast was brought up at my requested time and left outside my bedroom door so I was able to enjoy it while getting dressed. My privacy and time to myself were respected and I was truly able to relax. I spent my time reading, sketching, doing yoga and sleeping. The only thing I had a problem with was the microwave oven kept blowing a fuse when I was making some popcorn. It was plugged into a surge protector strip so I just kept resetting it every 30-45 seconds until my popcorn was done. Not the safest thing but I wanted my popcorn!
Anyway, I can see what a nice place this would be for couples or singles looking to get away from it all when staying in the Wilkes Barre, PA area. I highly recommend it for the service, amenities and the comfort. I should also mention that the owners have done a wonderful job with decorating the rooms. Everything seemed very well planned and contributed to each room's theme.
After meeting my Mom at her apartment I set up my GPS and hit the road for Noxen. Traveling up route 309 north I was relieved to see that there were mountains, rolling pastures and not much else once I got past Dallas. I arrived in Noxen well within 30 minutes and found the B&B easily. Seeing as how it was the only business other than a convenient store and a couple of churches it wasn't hard to miss!
I rang the doorbell and was immediately greeted by Wilma, the owner of the B&B. She gave me a tour of the house, my room and also showed me the other rooms since I was the only guest that evening. We returned to my room where she showed me how to operate the gas fireplace and jacuzzi. She also pointed out that she had a bottle of sparkling apple cider chilling in some ice on the kitchenette's counter. She put on some quiet classical music and then left me to settle in. I brought my bags up to my room (all rooms are on the second floor) and decided to relax for a couple of hours before meeting my Mom for supper.
This is what my comfortable bed looked like:
The reading chair next to the gas fireplace (very comfy):
The kitchenette with microwave oven, coffee maker and mini fridge.
Bathroom.
I couldn't wait to test out the jacuzzi tub that evening. I brought my own lavender bath salts and enjoyed soaking, uninterrupted for half an hour. The towels were unbelievably plush and were a real treat.
My morning breakfast.
Since I am avoiding wheat and eggs I was pleasantly surprised by what my host came up with - yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee and orange juice.
Overall, my stay was extraordinarily pleasant and my host went out of her way to make it special. When I returned from dinner that night she had left a bag of jellybeans for me and a note checking to see what time I'd like my breakfast. That breakfast was brought up at my requested time and left outside my bedroom door so I was able to enjoy it while getting dressed. My privacy and time to myself were respected and I was truly able to relax. I spent my time reading, sketching, doing yoga and sleeping. The only thing I had a problem with was the microwave oven kept blowing a fuse when I was making some popcorn. It was plugged into a surge protector strip so I just kept resetting it every 30-45 seconds until my popcorn was done. Not the safest thing but I wanted my popcorn!
Anyway, I can see what a nice place this would be for couples or singles looking to get away from it all when staying in the Wilkes Barre, PA area. I highly recommend it for the service, amenities and the comfort. I should also mention that the owners have done a wonderful job with decorating the rooms. Everything seemed very well planned and contributed to each room's theme.
Monday, April 6, 2009
I'm Back...
It's been awhile since I've posted. I've been so busy reading other people's blogs and lurking on Facebook that I didn't have time to work on this. Many apologies to my loyal fans (which I think is all of one).
I'm excited about what's happening this coming weekend so it seemed like a great time to post a note here.
I'm going on my own (no kids, no husband) to visit my Mom for Easter. That in itself would be all fine and well but the part that really has me excited is that I'm staying in a bed and breakfast for my one night and it's going to be a REALLY nice B&B. I will have a big old room to myself with a humongous bed, a little kitchenette, fireplace, AND a jacuzzi tub. Yup. I am treating myself to a $145 a night room. Crazy but I need it. I will be posting a review of this B&B after I return. They just opened in March so everything will be new and I should get some royal treatment.
This is what my bed is going to look like:
The only draw back is it's about half an hour past my Mom's so I will have to do more driving than I'd like. However, I'm focusing on a long soak in that tub, reading a book uninterrupted and lots of rest on Saturday night. This B&B is in the middle of nowhere (town population is 900 something souls) so it should be quiet and peaceful. Ahhhhhh.
Of course, I'm having all sorts of second thoughts about it as I've been researching a number of B&Bs in the area before choosing this one. Hopefully, my concerns will be alleviated after Saturday night. I'll let you know!
I'm excited about what's happening this coming weekend so it seemed like a great time to post a note here.
I'm going on my own (no kids, no husband) to visit my Mom for Easter. That in itself would be all fine and well but the part that really has me excited is that I'm staying in a bed and breakfast for my one night and it's going to be a REALLY nice B&B. I will have a big old room to myself with a humongous bed, a little kitchenette, fireplace, AND a jacuzzi tub. Yup. I am treating myself to a $145 a night room. Crazy but I need it. I will be posting a review of this B&B after I return. They just opened in March so everything will be new and I should get some royal treatment.
This is what my bed is going to look like:
The only draw back is it's about half an hour past my Mom's so I will have to do more driving than I'd like. However, I'm focusing on a long soak in that tub, reading a book uninterrupted and lots of rest on Saturday night. This B&B is in the middle of nowhere (town population is 900 something souls) so it should be quiet and peaceful. Ahhhhhh.
Of course, I'm having all sorts of second thoughts about it as I've been researching a number of B&Bs in the area before choosing this one. Hopefully, my concerns will be alleviated after Saturday night. I'll let you know!
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