Refunded

[Helen_Highwater]

Well as I posted a while ago I was supposed to have my annual Helen's week's away time November just gone but Covid restrictions put paid to that but I was able to move the dates so I opted for this coming February.

Bang, another lock down that's going to go on into March so yesterday I had an email from the booking agents asking if I wanted change the dates again or have a refund. Well this time I opted for a refund. It seems the sensible thing to do is now wait and see how the pandemic finally plays out, then look to book somewhere. The only danger is that once we're free of the virus there will be a mad rush for holiday accommodation as folks look to get away. My saving grace is I go away in mid November and that's not a popular time.

I'm trying not to think about my lost holiday. Spending a week fully enfemme is just so enjoyable and having done it for so many years consecutively it's a shame to break the chain. Although disappointed I won't let it get me down. It is what it is, no use crying over spilt milk, crack on and get on with it. The other side of it is when I do get to get out and about the feeling of release will be all the more intense and enjoyable. Every cloud......

So, refund equals money in the bank so perhaps just a little online retain therapy might be allowed by way of compensation.

[Teresa]

Helen,
I had an amusing conversation with my neighbour today , he was taking his outdoor Xmas lights down , I told him not to bother the way it's going we maybe lockdown till next Xmas so he might as well leave his lights out .

Joking about our current situation may sound harsh but who knows when we will finally return to normallity ? I can't believe it will be well over a year before I catch up with some of my friends .

At the moment it's important we can stay safe , it's proving harder and harder .

[Stephanie47]

Teresa, my wife and I have decided to keep the Christmas lights on our large front window in place. All the others on the eaves and borders of the house as well as my plastic blow mold Santa Claus', penguin, snowmen and angels, and nativity pieces will hit the storage shed. The front window bulbs are going to be replaced with nights for the upcoming holidays:

Red, white and blue for our Inauguration Day (January 20th)
Red, white and pink for Valentine's Day
Green and white for St Patrick's Day
Pastel colors for Easter
Red, white and blue for Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th
and so forth as long as Covid-19 is around

It's a protest against covid-19.

[docrobbysherry]

People take down their Xmas lites across the pond?

Why, no "off" switch? Over here we just turn them off for a year!

[candykowal]

Well as I posted a while ago I was supposed to have my annual Helen's week's away time November just gone but Covid restrictions put paid to that but I was able to move the dates so I opted for this coming February.
Bang, another lock down that's going to go on into March so yesterday I had an email from the booking agents asking if I wanted change the dates again or have a refund. Well this time I opted for a refund. ......

Did you book yourself a Ma and Pa Bed and Breakfast or a hotel?
And where were you planning to spend you time away from the Midlands, Amsterdam? (My dream girly get away as Candy BTW.)
The reason I ask is I also would like to Book a BnB we like to go to, along the Almafi Coast in Florida.
I am leery to put down a deposit and book a bed and breakfast (BnB).
Now, if you were going to stay at a hotel and it was a international company, I might more inclined to book if they have a liberal refund policy.
I suppose "read the refund policy!" is a good rule of thumb.
Gosh, Helen...hope you get your chance soon...I hope we all do!
Glad you got your hard earned money back, heard some horror stories with Cruise Ship Lines not refunding bookings.

[Vickie_CDTV]

I wouldn't worry about rebooking your holiday. At this point it is unlikely these lockdowns will ever end.

[Helen_Highwater]

Candy,

I always book a country cottage style residence, usually somewhere quiet and remote as in the early days that gave me greater confidence to come and go freely.

Having an entire house to yourself also allows me to do the things that we all do in our daily lives but in this case enfemme.

This latest accommodation differed in that it was in a quiet suburban road with neighbouring properties which was a reflection of my ever growing confidence. To come and go enfemme in plain sight of neighbours and hopefully to do so convincingly as long as they didn't get too close!

I've written before about how wonderful it is to sleep enfemme and from the moment you wake to live your life enfemme. If you can get an opportunity to try it I wholeheartedly recommend you do

Amalfi coast, has to be Southern Italy. The original and best.

[rhoda]

People take down their Xmas lites across the pond?

Why, no "off" switch? Over here we just turn them off for a year!

Over here christmas lights are unlikely to survive a year of the weather. OTOH in orange county....

[Teresa]

Sherry,
It makes cutting and pruning difficult as most people string around their lights around the garden as well .

Helen,
I love visiting Italy , stayed in Sorrento for a week but I've promised myself to return to Lake Garda and buy a week boat pass to visit the lovely towns around the lake .

I have to say being full time is wonderful even in our lockdown situation .

[BobbiKay]

Helen,
It sounds like a refund was your best option, given the current uncertain situation.

I agree that slack times can be great for vacationing. Some years ago I had some use-it-or-lose-it vacation time, and my employer had sent me to a convention in Arizona in early December. My sister and I took a week to drive around the state. We found accommodation at the rim of the Grand Canyon, walking in at 3 PM and asking if they had a room (normally booked months in advance). They did, so we watched the sunset, and the sunrise, over the canyon. Didn't venture down into the canyon.

I was amused that in the public area of the visitor center the PA was playing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and such, but when we walked around the back, you could hear the radio in the office through the glass window playing "Grandma got run over by a reindeer".

The chilly weather had kept the tourists (and the scorpions) in hibernation, so it was a pleasant and uncrowded experience.

[Helen_Highwater]

I have to say being full time is wonderful even in our lockdown situation .

Teresa,

I don't know if you'd agree with me but I'd say for anyone considering going full time spending time as I do going 24/7 is time well spent. A, try before you buy sort of thing. The first time I did it I found the routine of "keeping up appearances", the shaving, doing makeup, cleaning off makeup tiring work. It takes time to get to your position of a balanced equilibrium, of presenting well enough to blend without everyday feeling you have to be dressing to the nines.

That said, spending an extended period just being enfemme is something every CD'er should experience at least once in their lifetime. Knowing the end of that day isn't the end of the fun is deeply fulfilling.

Thinking about it, it was about this time last year I started looking for somewhere to stay. I wanted the biggest choice of properties I could have. While I might not book anything just yet, it could be worth seeing what my options are and keeping an eye on how booking are going. One thing I didn't say was I book a particular week of the month as it's when a local support grout meets in the area and it's been my habit to "gate crash" their meeting. That said I'm always made welcome. In truth, I do email their secretary and ask if it's okay for me to attend and I always go bearing gifts, chocolates usually as well as putting a donation in the kitty. Being able to meet up with other CD'ers is worth every penny.

[ambigendrous]

We're going through a similar situation: we had booked a cruise to the Mexican Riviera for Oct 2020 and of course it got canceled. So, we rolled our deposit over to an Alaskan Cruise for May 2021. Yesterday we found out IT also got canceled! So, it's now rolled over to May of 2022 - the Alaska cruise was supposed to be a celebration for our 50th Anniversary - we're hoping that we won't have to wait 'til our 75th anniversary to celebrate our 50th!

[DanielleCD]

My wife and I travel quite a bit with a group scuba diving... we have 4 trips planned that keep getting pushed back... we want to go... the resorts want us but travel restrictions prevent it. Our group leaders are great about communicating with the resorts and getting things rescheduled. The tough one was my niece's wedding which was to have been Oct 2020.... now Oct 2021. At least the airlines have been very flexible about cancelled and rescheduling flights.... have to do that now with a trip to the Cayman Islands that just got pushed back to 2022!