I haven't spoken too much of my impending holiday for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, there's the jinx factor. Everyone who has followed my life lately knows it's been a little on the dramatic side, leaving not a lot of room for planning ahead.

After we knew that my Dad would survive, I booked a trip in early March to Washington, DC and New York with my niece.

It will be my first REAL holiday since July 2004.

I've taken a couple of days here and there. A trip to Vegas that was challenged by inability to walk with a bum knee. The other trip was to Tofino for a friend's wedding but it was a busy time and I was only off for 1 day.

So this trip is the first vacation in far too long.

We are booked to fly into Reagan National on March 3. A friend of mine will pick us up and we'll stay with her that evening. The next day, we'll meet up with another friend from Maryland and tour the beautiful city of Annapolis. My niece isn't sure about this, but like I said to her, any chance to see a new city is a good experience.

On Monday, we'll go into Washington and book into a hotel close to the Smithsonian - my main reason for wanting to go back to the city. In my trip to the city in 1999, it was one thing I missed seeing. I also want my niece to see all the rest of the landmarks.

On Wednesday morning, we'll hop a train up to New York city arriving in the afternoon at Penn Station.

From there, it's a short cab ride over to the same hotel I stayed in when I travelled there in 1999. Close to Time Square with beautiful rooms, I was surprised to see it had stayed so resonably priced!

The next four days are up in the air. We have so much we want to see in Manhattan but no set plans. I've requested tickets to show tapings, and we will definitely catch a Broadway show or two, but other than that, we just plan to take it easy and see where the adventure takes us.

We fly out on Sunday morning.

I find my mind starting to wander these days and start thinking about the trip. I really haven't let myself focus on anything in the future for so long, that it's hard to get my mind around the fact that we will be having this trip at all! It has been so hectic, so dramatic, so in-the-moment for months now that I am well ready for a break.

So any suggestions? What should we see?

In other great news, CaliValleyGirl is now CaliValleyFiance! Go over and congratulate them!