 Another mini used book haul~ Hello ~ So I’m wondering, how do you feel about New Year’s resolutions? My 2017 resolution was to stop spending so much on printed books and working so much. I actually went on a book buying fast for several months in 2017 and cut way, way back in 2018. It was difficult because I so love books, but it is made easier when I think about having to either ship them or store them when we move again. And the working so much? Well, I have taken a bit more time off and am back to daily walks, which help me handle the stress a lot better. Just getting away from my desk and out in nature has made a big difference.  Behold the beautiful New Mexico Mountains!  Bring on the veggies! I also vowed to eat better - which I'm still enjoying. :D
Some resolutions really change your life, others not so much. So for 2019 I am working on buying used books (cheaper and recycling is always a good idea) and also being picky about how many I keep. I'm going to continue eating the clean, veggie rich diet and make more time to travel. I think we may visit Sweden this year as well as some short trips in the US. So how about you? What are your resolutions and are you keeping them?
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 Hi Travel Family! The holidays are over and it's a few months before the next travel adventure begins, so what are you to do? It's too cold (for most of us) to do much outside....So why not invite your BFF over and have a movie marathon? I was inspired by a list of 'Chick Flick' movies I found online, thinking I probably hadn't seen many off the list. Turns out that while I don't watch much TV I do watch more movies than I realize! How many of these have you seen? Here are 39 movies to watch or re-watch with your BFF this winter: 13 Going on 30 17 again Breakfast at Tiffany’s Bridesmaids Bring it on Clueless Crazy, Stupid Love Dirty Dancing Drive Me Crazy Freaky Friday Friends with Benefits Gone with the Wind How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Legally Blonde Letters to Juliet Little Women Love Actually Made of Honor Maid in Manhattan Mamma Mia Mean Girls Miss Congeniality My Best Friends Wedding No Strings Attached Pitch Perfect Pretty in Pink Romeo and Juliet Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion Runaway Bride She’s All That Sixteen Candles Sleepless in Seattle Sweet Home Alabama The Parent Trap The Princess Bride The Wedding Planner The Wedding Singer Titanic While You Were Sleeping You’ve Got Mail  Enjoy!  Live with no excuses...I dare you! Happy 2019 my dear friends!
Here's to making this the best year of you life, (so far)! May it be a year filled with love, laughter and unlimited travel opportunities for you. See you at the airport~  This post contains affiliate links- Hi Travel Family! This week I'm planning a three day weekend/get together for late January at my place. I have about a million and one things to do, but I'm so excited! I was looking for a gold, glitzy type theme for our get-together, but wasn't finding much except some NYE type stuff. And this party will be weeks after....The stores are putting out Valentine's Day decoration already and thats not the theme I was going for. #Fail It is almost impossible to find party ware that isn't aimed at small children or birthdays. I need something elegant, not too pricey and simple. Is that asking too much? When I didn't find anything in town I turned to trusty Amazon and they didn't disappoint. I will show you the plates/cutlery when they arrive, (they were Prime so it will be soon, lol) and I also found some cute, fun little extras I can add to the goodie bags too! Like this:  AND ITS ON SALE! Beginning Jan 1, 2019, You can Save 15.0% on select products from Smart Tart Design with promo code 15QUITTER, through 1/30 while supplies last. (Cute, right?) AND I found a coupon code I can share with you! Hit the link to see other cool stuff they have on offer. I'm also thinking of decorating with something like this:  It will look cute, but not too Christmas-y. I also found a code for it! Save 55.0% on select products from WED with promo code 55BKKMPD, through 1/3 while supplies last. Click here to take a closer look. Thank you Amazon, for saving the day for this event! I'm also looking at making the guest room a bit more "homey" and less "spare room - throw unwanted junk in here" lol, which is the current theme. So I've bought some plants and a few pictures and was looking for a nice duvet to dress it up some. I found a good deal on a 3 piece Duvet Cover:  I love the all white look. I think it looks uber clean and modern. This code will save up to 50% off on this cute set!
So all in all it's been a very productive day! I'm still not finished, but I feel like I am at least making progress. Expect another post when everything arrives - and if you want to use the codes, get on it! They are all limited time deals - some of them don't start until Jan- click each to read the start/end date. Catch you later~  Read Part One Here: Travel Fees and How to Avoid Them It’s been my experience that frequent flier programs are not all that. Be careful when it comes to using frequent flyer programs, because they sometimes impose fees on your supposed free flights. These could include a fuel charge, airport fees, and redemption charges when you cash in the miles. #Fail Whats a fuel charge? Fuel surcharges are another tricky fee to avoid. They are often tacked onto your frequent flyer miles, and to small children who don’t take up a seat. International flights will be the most expensive. It pays to compare costs carefully. The cheap fare you see may not be so cheap after all if the airline imposes fuel surcharges or other hidden fees.  And don’t get me started on checked bag fees! Most of the so called budget airlines will stick you will a $35 and up bag fee (each way) if you want to bring more than just a carry-on bag. As one of my friends points out this is the “Fly Naked” deal. Its cheap airfare if you don’t need more than a backpack, but if you are spending anytime anywhere your gonna need luggage and you will end up paying for that privilege. So if you plan on a trip longer than a few days, you will be adding a bag and a charge to the ticket price. But pack lightly, and beware overweight baggage fees. Over the limit fees can be exorbitant! If you are checking a bag, avoid adding even more fees by making sure you don’t over-pack. Weigh your luggage before you leave to avoid any surprises. Other fees on budget airlines you may be tempted to opt for are priority boarding and seat upgrades.  Note me sitting in the extended leg room seats whenever possible, lol Personally being 5’9 I usually buy extend leg room, unless it is more than the ticket, (yes, I’ve seen that). But priority boarding, if I have an assigned seat isn't an issue and can add another $10 - $25 per ticket, depending on the airlines. The only downside is you may not be able to put your luggage in the bin over your seat. But is that worth $25 to you? Personally I’d rather board towards the end, walk to my seat and take off, rather than sit for 10-15 minutes while people push by. But that’s totally up to you.  Aaah....the hurry up and wait of boarding. Car Rental Fees When renting a car, check to make sure the fee includes everything, with no added extras. Remember that your credit card will offer travel protection for collisions, so you might not need additional insurance. But it is always wise to call your credit card company before your trip to see if you have limited coverage out of state or out of country. I was picking up a car at Heathrow (London airport) and witnessed an American woman crying over the fact she thought she was covered until her insurance company found the international loop hole and she was on the hook for an extra $10,000USD in damages from the rental company. #TrueStory  Also beware key replacement, alternate drop-off locations, taxes and fuel surcharges can all be tacked on to the final car rental bill. Picking up a car in one state and dropping off in another usually cost me an extra $200USD. #AlsoTrueStory And there will also be a charge if the gas tank isn't at the level you picked it up at. It is always more affordable to top it off yourself, rather than opting for them to fill it for you.  Next time we will discuss accommodations and the hidden fees of some hotels and vacation rentals. Think those fees are small? I’ve seen hotel parking in New Orleans for an astonishing $45 a day! Along with holiday house fees you might not know about.
Until then~ Quick video of all the things I should have blogged about, but didn't lol.
Happy Holidays!  Tidings of comfort & joy & all the best to you & yours, travel family! I hope all your travel dreams come true in 2019~ Enjoy the holidays!   Ever wonder why we celebrate Autumn with bright chrysanthemums?  Today's post is about art and flowers! Today I wanted to talk about two things I love...art and flowers. In Chinese Art chrysanthemums are part of what is known as "The Four Gentlemen" or "The Four Noble Ones". They are one of four plants used to mark the seasons. The other three are: Plum blossom, the orchid and the bamboo. You will find these plants in traditional ink and wash painting from the beautiful 'bird and flower' paining category of Chinese Art in most museums or collections.  Love this style!  These plants have been depicted since the time of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) because of their refined beauty, and were later adopted in other parts of East Asia by artists in Japan and Korea.  (Plum blossoms) These colorful plants represent the four different seasons (the plum blossom for winter, the orchid for spring, the bamboo for summer, and the chrysanthemum for autumn). The four are used to mark the seasons through the year in art and decorating.  Orchids for Spring. (I'm still not happy with the placement of this table.)  (Bamboo for summer.)  And chrysanthemums for autumn. Now you know the story of the "Four Gentlemen" and why we are drawn to these colorful flowers.
Do you have any art or arraignments featuring these refined plants?  Hi, Web Fam! It's another happy fall day! We are about to move from Autumn to winter and I'm pretty excited. We have only had slightly cooler temps, but I've used the fireplaces most nights.  And when I don't, I light them up with candles... I don't know about you, but I'm so glad it "candle weather" again. You never fully appreciate the warmth of candles until you light them in July, lol. #Truestory I'm ready to go sweater shopping too. Want to come with? I have swapped out my summer wardrobe for fall/winter and realized I don't have enough soft sweaters or black jeans, lol.  And I'm pretty sure I need this coat! But that will have to wait, this weekend I'm staying in to catch up on some work and also get the house ready for the big cold storm heading our way. The temps are going to drop below freezing and I still have plants to move around and there is a possibility of snow and ice, for the next few days! But colder weather really does make it seem like the holiday season. I'm working on a blog post covering the best places for sights (and shopping) in Northern New Mexico during the winter months. So soon we are going to be exploring further a field. There are so many interesting things coming up in Santa Fe and the surrounding area I'd like to check out and share with you.  The Southwest in the winter is like a whole different world.  AND I'm almost finished reading all the books from my last haul, so expect a review soon. So that's my weekend, hope you have a good one!
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Author Welcome to my travel blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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