Category: General Comment

Fun with Family

2024-11-03 / James Moore

In late October 2024, we took a trip to Florida to visit James’ family. We were a little worried as our trip was only a couple weeks after Hurricane Milton cut west to east across the central part of the state. We were lucky none of James’ family was drastically impacted by the storm.

We traveled there for a week staying with James’ sister in Tampa. We really enjoyed the time just lounging around the house with her and her husband. We also visited Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival with his Aunt; we love trying the foods from countries all over the world. We had a great visit with James’ parents in Lakeland seeing some of the improvements underway at the 55+ community where they live. We also managed to work in an escape room and a city escape adventure (puzzle game similar to an escape room, but outside in downtown Tampa). James and his brother-in-law had fun in the nose-bleed seats of a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game.

James and Julie entering Epcot

Dark Chocolate Fondue – yummy

James and his sister on the City Escape Adventure

James didn’t have to turn his head as players skated to each end of the hockey rink

Sending Love & Light!

2023-12-10 / Julie Moore

Our Christmas Card theme this year is “Sending Love & Light”. We felt this was appropriate since we included a selfie with the Eiffel Tower lit up.

Wishing our family & friends a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and any other holiday you may celebrate!

Making Progress

2023-11-12 / James Moore

Today we finished the last of our Jaunts, Journeys, and Joyrides from 2011 and before. You never think you’ve taken too many pictures until you’re looking through them to remember what a trip was like. Add to that typing up your memories and having them grammar checked and word smithed. This starts to help you understand the reason why it takes some time to update some of our trips. Since we’re adding our current trips as we go, that leaves 6 Joyrides, 11 Jaunts, and 7 Journeys to fill in the gap between 2012 and 2022. I’ve loaded the next round of pictures on my laptop and will get working on those 2012 trips soon.

T S Lloyd-Weber? Andrew Eliot?

2023-01-16 / Julie Moore

CATS – 27 years apart at the Des Moines Civic Center

While cleaning out a box of mementos I came across a Playbill from a production of CATS at the Des Moines Civic Center we attended in January 1996. Ironically (?) we attended CATS at the Des Moines Civic Center a couple weekends ago. The performances were -almost- 27 years apart to the day.

As a lover of felines, I enjoy the performances of CATS as the actors get in to character and are able to depict the nuances of the species.

We enjoy live theater as it transports us to places with engaging stories and complex characters. Experiencing these opportunities is almost as fun as visiting the actual locations to immerse oneself in the culture and history.

Global Entry – RENEWAL SUCCESS! Only 9 months in the making…..

2022-11-27 / Julie Moore

We started the process to renew our Global Entry application at the end of February 2022. We both submitted our application and paid the fee on 2/26/2022. Julie received a notification she was conditionally approved on 2/28/2022 (2 days!). It took James another 4 months before he received his notification of a conditionally approved application (6/25/2022 – we were on our way back from Scotland!!). If we had reviewed our email while in the Washington Dulles airport we may have been able to finish the interview process 5 months ago as we came through customs. Julie would occasionally login to the Global Entry website to see if she could find available interview times at the Des Moines Airport; but there never seemed to be openings (either in person or via video). We had decided we would try the interview upon entry option the next time we flew internationally. In the meantime, we would keep looking (we didn’t want to drive to International Falls, MN or any other far reaching location to have a 10 minute interview).

Earlier in November, we visited our chiropractor and we always swap travel stories with he and his wife. They had recently returned from Portugal and told us about their adventure. We found out they had recently applied for Global Entry (their first application) and were able to obtain interviews in Des Moines. We asked them how they were able to accomplish this feat since we struggled to find an appointment. Our chiropractor said the Customs Agent in Des Moines randomly adds interview slots toward the end of the month for 3 months out. So on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Julie logged in to the Global Entry site and clicked on Des Moines to see if there any openings for February or later. Lo and behold (after rubbing her eyes and double checking the calendar date said 2022) Julie was able to schedule interviews for 11/27/2022!

3 hours after our in person interviews with a very nice customs agent, we received the notifications our applications were fully approved!

Now . . . what visually extraordinary location should we explore since we have Global Entry for another 5 years?

“The Music of the Night” will soon play its last note (on Broadway).

2022-09-25 / Julie Moore

Sad to hear “The Phantom of the Opera” will be closing on Broadway in February 2023 after 35 years of performances. This is one of my top 5 favorite plays. I have seen it twice on Broadway. The last time James & I saw Phantom, in New York, was in 2018 to celebrate my birthday. We had a great time and, of course, I sang along! Bravo, Bravo, Bravissimo to a fantastic show!

James and Julie at the Iowa State Fair

Our State Fair is the BEST State Fair!

2022-08-24 / Julie Moore

Enjoyed spending last Saturday exploring the Iowa State Fair. We walked the Avenue of the Breeds and saw a Highland Coo (a Scottish cow – of which we didn’t see many when we were in Scotland in June!). Examined student projects in the 4-H building. Took in the sights & sounds of the animal buildings (neigh, baa, moo, oink!) Ate lunch at Stockman Inn. Perused doll houses and interesting photography in the Cultural Building. Checked out the vendors in the Grand Concourse Shops. Waited in line for 30 minutes for James to try “Pork Picnic in a Cup” from the Iowa Pork Producers. (The food was actually pretty good. Bottom of the cup had Frito corn chips topped with shredded BBQ pork, baked beans, & coleslaw). Wound around the upstairs and downstairs of the Varied Industries Building. Ended the day waiting in line for another 30 minutes for a bucket of Barksdale Cookies.

A Highland Coo (Hairy Cow) on the Avenue of the Breeds — Best picture of Scottish Highland Coo all year.

Dreaming of wandering

2022-07-21 / Julie Moore

Met with our Travel Agent over the weekend to debrief on our Scotland journey. We enjoyed reliving our trip and sharing pictures. We have not yet decided on our next adventure but we have several ideas! Tropical? Chilly? Domestic? International? Coach? Cruise? Northern hemisphere? Western Hemisphere? The options are endless!

In May 2020 we were scheduled to take a trip to Paris. We were going to try and survive with only carry on luggage. We intended to make this journey one of our own making; meaning no organized group travel. The plan was to experience Disneyland Paris for a few days and then stay in Paris. Day trips were planned to Giverny (home of Monet) and to Mont St Michel. With the piece de resistance attending a show at The Moulin Rouge.

Maybe we should rebook the trip to Paris for 2023 before the city is overrun with Olympians in 2024. Hmmm….. something to ponder as I dream of wandering.

Mo(o)re Musings

2022-07-15 / Julie Moore

This blog is meant to help us organize our thoughts as well as provide insight for our friends and family into what goes through our minds as we’re preparing for a trip. From deciding where to go to figuring out what to pack, a lot goes into our trips. We’ve been able to visit some really beautiful places and we want to give people who haven’t had that chance a peek into what travel means to us.