Grrrrr

Right now, I don't know. My parents and sister will have our children for several weeks this summer. SO, for the first time in 10 years, we'll have no children over a weekend. I was SOOO excited - til I realized that this is the weekend my huband has had planned for 3 months to go off with "the guys" to watch some motorcycle race. *G* I'm giving him plenty of "rope" (decision making room) to hang himself!!!

a

Chicago, Cape Breton (This doesn't count tough) and Maine so far. Maybe I'll slip in San Francisco or Boulder.

nina

Punta Cana, Nantucket, Prague and Myrtle Beach.

Glenda, you deserve the summer off! We have a substitute shortage in our town so I have been subbing a bit. By 1:00 one day subbing for a 5th grade class I was seriously contemplating just how bad it would be if I walked out the door and didn't come back! It was exhausting. Yeah for the teachers, you're a stronger woman than I am!

Karen

We can take a bunch of time off because of good jobs and good financial planning.

Layla

Summer travel will be Florida (Including a combination of: St Pete Beach, Sarasota, Sanibel & Captiva)

Maybe a late summer long weekend in NYC

But dreaming of a return visit to Cape Cod (Next year I hope).

Marie

TO CURIOUS: We have a special vacation acct. Each paycheck is rounded down to the hundred $ mark and that goes into the acct. When we reach $3000 we plan to travel. Since 1999, when we started this, we have been to Arizona, Oregon, New England, and New York State (THREE X's) Except for Oregon (we got round trip air tickets for $230) we drove, we have a large Chevy Van we carry our breakfast foods, and lunch foods in a large ice chest, then hit a special restaurant for dinner. I am a RN and am lucky enough to get 124 hours paid vacation time per 6 month period. This year we will dive from southern US to Niagara Falls and Toronto, across NY State and back. I will only use 56 hours but be off for 13 days! ( Work every other weekend, and only four days per week!) WE will spend two weeks on the beach in S. Padre Island, TX in Aug. WHERE DO YOU GO?

Susan

I'm guessing what Glenda means by saying she envys those who can take fall and spring vacations, is that she always has to travel when the kids travel, i.e. high season. My dear friend is a teacher and we are trying to plan a New York City ladies weekend, but her schedule is the toughest to work around.

Remember, there are pros and cons to all professions. If teaching were such a perfect job why does our city have such a hard time filling positions and retaining good teachers? Partly because they can't afford to actually live in the city where they teach. And we can't exactly live without them, like we can other jobs like travel agents (just kidding!!).

Susan

And, by the way, our vacation plans this summer? First, Oahu for four days, then Laguna Beach for my mom's 80th birthday (whew!), and at least one long weekend at a friend's cabin near Yosemite. Still trying to figure out if we will stay put or go somewhere for Fourth of July, and seriously contemplating the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle for Labor Day weekend (does that count as summer?).

We went to Europe last summer and can't afford to do that every year. We alternate every other year with a big vacation and small long weekend vacations. I wish we got a month off like the Europeans.

Jeanna

San Francisco May 30-June 5.

Just got back from a long weekend in Destin.

Going to Destin again June 15 (husband is doing business).

Not sure where else, but probably somewhere!

Bill

Seeing the beautiful countryside of Kentucky, going to the races at Churchill Downs, and soaking up (literally) the Kentucky Bourbon sites.

Tammy

Just back from Tunisia - fascinating place. Fancy a cottage on Lake Michigan though - how do find one?

xxx

Glenda, I am not a teacher because when I went to college 20+ years ago teaching jobs were hard to find and the pay was low. Now that I'm 45 I appreciate all of the advantages to teaching that I didn't have the foresight to consider back when I was entering college. I can't earn in my career anywhere near what a teacher makes and I work 49 weeks a year. I also won't be able to retire at age 55 with a great pension. I don't have school vacations and summers off to spend with my children. It's too late for me to go back to college to become a teacher, but I wish I had in the first place. I know that many of you work hard, but so do the rest of us. I just wish you and the rest of your profession didn't feel this need to whine to the rest of us. We all work hard and have stress in our jobs, but the rest of us don't have the summer to recharge.

jedi

climbing Mt Shasta!!

Elfienyc

For July 4 week, San Diego to visit family. For Labor Day weekend (actualyl stretched out to 5 days), Sedona, AZ for a much-needed restful break. Then in October I take my really big vacation, this year to Thailand.

And to answer how, I have no children and a pretty good job which allows me to travel how and where I like.

yyy

xxx what do you do for a living I made more as a receptionist than I did after 4 years of teaching in the public school system in NYC. Dream along if you think teachers can retire early they usually have to take second jobs just to make it through summer. BTW I now make about what a principal in NYC makes also as a secretary. I have not received a raise in on year but I was put at the current salary just 3 years after starting this position.