Who Says You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

Things I've learned since I reached "Middle Age":
Opened a gift shop.  That was something I always wanted to do.
Opened a coffee shop.  Learned to make coffee. Believe it or not I didn't drink coffee or know how to make it before I opened my coffee shop.  Now I know how to make coffee, espresso, lattes, etc.
Traveled to wineries and learned about wine and added that to my coffee shop.
Took French lessons.
Traveled to France and Canada.
Wrote a short story for children and began writing a book.
Learned to blog.
Learned to add widgets to my blog.
Learned how to program a cell phone.
And because life happens, I've learned to care for the elderly and hold the hand of the dying.

"Woman's Work"

I didn't blog last week because I was on vacation, if you want to call it that.  Finances are low this year so we did a "staycation" at home.  That means I washed clothes, cooked, babysat the grandchildren and cleaned house.  Needless to say I was ready to go back to work.
One bright spot was a visit from my daughter and my furry grandchild (he's a dog, but don't tell him that). Next summer I plan to travel  to Texas and help her search for a home. 

I watched a great show last night on TV.  It's called Hot In Cleveland.  It's about three middle aged women from LA.   One of them wrote a book about a list of two hundred twenty two things a woman should do before she dies.  On the list was cash in your air miles and go on a trip to Paris with two of your best friends.  If you read my blogs you will know I love Paris.  Their plane has trouble so they have to land in Cleveland.  Being hungry they go looking for a bar & grill and upon entering one they notice the men are looking at them.  Being from LA where if you're a woman over the age of twenty one you're considered old and the men don't give you a second look they were very flattered.  The show goes on with jokes about being a middle aged woman and the man/woman relationship at that age.  I very much enjoyed the show and I recomend it for a good laugh. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about the things I would like to do.  I have two lists.  One is a list of things I would do if money were no object and the other one is more realistic.  Due to recent financial setbacks I don't know when I'll be able to do any thing on my list but I'll be ready if I ever get the chance.
If money wasn't an object I would:
Take a trip on the Orient Express
Buy an apartment in Paris
Help people anonymously when ever I saw a need.
Realistically I would like to:
Rent a house on the beach for a week
Take an overnight train trip
See the giant Red Wood trees
Travel
Take my grandchildren to Disney world
Open a gift shop