[judy]

Awwww - thanks! I was wondering what that ringing was. I missed you all too.

I've been on a journey to upstate NY. I packed up the furbabies on Thursday, made a hotel reservation, and took off to check out Hudson Valley in upstate, NY. I love it there. It is sooo beautiful. The mountains are breathtaking. The leaves are changing colors now, so it is really pretty, but I like it green. I spent summers up there as a kid.

I think that's where I want to move to now that I'm retired. I don't care for Brooklyn anymore, never go into the City, and it's time for a change.

When I got there, I realized - now what? How do you know if you're going to like living in a town? Well I figured out as much as I could. Of course there's lots of info online, but I'm a hands on type of person and need to get a feeling for things.

All of these towns are off one route or another and there are strip malls and big shopping malls galore, so that's easy. Out on the country roads, it's all pretty much the same. Country roads are peaceful, lined with woods, some houses, some fields, and so on. Very good for the soul. I figured Main
St. would give me an indication, and some towns were immediately eliminated.

To make a long story short, I found several towns that I really liked. Rhinebeck, NY is gorgeous, very pricey, and full of shops, restaurants, etc. that I can't afford, but I'd love to live there. There's enough to do. There are several towns right around it that are also fine. Not that much to do, but with a car, I can find a coffee shop, book stores, pottery classes, yoga, women's groups, etc. Men are hard to find anywhere (well, good ones anyway). I also liked New Paltz, which is a college town. It's not as gorgeous as some of the other towns. Main St. is student-oriented, but I think I'd find people and things to do there that would be wonderful through the college.

I'm just going to sit on it for a white and see what percolates in my brain.

The dogs had fun at the hotel, sniffing around at everything. I heard Gracie Leigh
barking her little head off, and found her by a full length mirror, giving that other dog in there a what for! I laughed so hard. She either got used to it, or became friends with the mirror dog. Max, who could care less, did come across his mirror dog, had a quick convo with him, and that was that.

They did NOT enjoy the car trip. The little one gets car sick and on the way home, Max refused to sit in the seat with her. He was not happy. I hope she outgrows that!

So, I have to catch up on you guys. I'll be back on in a while to visit.

Love ya,

Judy