Christmas Break December 2007

Posted by Suzanne Hill Jan 1, 2008

I am very fortunate to have been off from work for 10 days since the university is closed for Christmas holidays. I’ve been able to spend enjoyable times with my family and also visit several locales in my area. A change of scenery is great for improving my frame of mind! I’m away from the pressures of the job and the cares of everyday responsibilities and able to simply enjoy a drive in the country and a walk through a small town new to me. My daughter and her boyfriend and I drove to Hanover, Pennsylvania, to do last-minute shopping at an art-supply store and have dinner at a favorite sushi / hibachi Japanese restaurant, Full Moon.

One day I drove to my mom’s so we could take a long walk on trails at her neighborhood park. On a Thursday I visited a dear friend and we drove north sightseeing through various small towns in Pennsylvania like Elizabethtown (sister city to Letterkenny in Ireland) and Mt. Gretna (an artsy town that used to consist of lake-side summer homes). On Sunday I went with friends to Frederick, Maryland, in the icy rain to walk along the history district. We spent hours in a huge antiques mall, donning hats, trying on fur coats, admiring burled-wood tables, and poring over old books. The following day I visited two more antiques malls not far from my house – something I’ve always wanted to do but never had time for.

Tomorrow I head back to work. I am grateful for the chance to go sightseeing and to have spent memorable days with my family.