Do you enjoy dancing? I do.

Gwynly knows this, so he surprised me recently by signing us up for ballroom dance lessons through our local Parks and Recreation Department.

We’re having lots of fun learning. Our focus so far is East Coast Swing. We’ve mastered a couple of basic turns and haven’t stepped on any toes in the process.

I asked one of the young men why he and his girlfriend are there. He said the lessons were his Valentine’s Day present to her. It’s what she really wanted, so he made it happen. My romance writer’s heart loved hearing that.

Shared activities are important in any relationship, especially a romantic one. Sometimes it can be a challenge to find mutual interests, but it’s worth it to do some experimentation. The rewards are many.

The young man I was talking with admitted that he’s having more fun than he expected. I can tell by her smiles that his girlfriend is happy. Gwynly and I are certainly having a blast.

❤❤❤

Questions for You

Do you like ballroom dancing?

What activities do you and your special someone share?

What activity does your special someone enjoy that you’ve grown to like, too?

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Of all the cities in the world, which would you say is the most romantic?

I’m going with Paris, and I’m guessing I’m not alone.

I’ve never been there, but that’s going to change.

Our daughter, a German-French major, will graduate in June. For the past three years she’s dreamed of working in Europe. Because of her hard work, she’s made that dream a reality.

Last week Adriana learned that she was accepted to the Teaching Assisting Program in France. Come October, she’ll be teaching English in French middle and/or high schools around Lille in northern France.

Gwynly and I have spent the past two weeks celebrating with our gal. We’re very proud of her and excited for her.

We’ve also been making plans to visit, and one of the places we want to see is Paris. Even though we lived in Germany four and a half years, we didn’t venture into France. We only have one semester of high school French between us and didn’t feel comfortable due to the lack of the language. Thanks to our daughter, we’ll be able to tour France with our own personal tour guide.

We don’t know yet when we’ll be traveling since we have to find out what Adri’s schedule will be, but I’m getting excited about visiting her in France and seeing the City of Love for myself.

❤❤❤

Questions for You

Does Paris top your Most Romantic Cities list? Why or why not?

Have you ever visited Paris? If so, what were your favorite places?

If you were to visit Paris, which places would be on your must-see list?

❤❤❤

Image from Wikimedia Commons

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Over spring break, my family and I boarded am Amtrak train bound for Reno.

While the trip was a lot of fun, the primary purpose for me was research, since many of my characters reached California by train. I love research, and when I can couple it with a vacation, that makes it even better.

The eastbound train pulling into the station.

We boarded the train in Roseville, California, about twenty miles east of downtown Sacramento, leaving at 11:30 a.m. I was smiling so broadly that morning it was a wonder my cheeks weren’t sore.

The adventure begins.

While we were assigned seats in a coach car, I spent the entire eastbound trip in the sightseer car.

I was trying to capture the plentiful Manzanita bushes and red clay that are prevalent on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevadas.

When I wasn’t snapping pictures, I was taking notes on the narration given by docents from the Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento. They ride the train and enlighten passengers about the history of the Central Pacific Railroad.

Highway 80 heading over Donner Summit.

Normally this road would be full of skiers bound for the snow, but with the pitiful amount of snow we’ve had this year, they’ve found other activities.

North Fork of the American River

The views from the train are spectacular. As we climbed, pine trees outnumbered the oaks that are more plentiful at lower elevations.

The eastbound train going around a bend as we reach the snowline.

Due to maintenance taking place the day we made the trip, the eastbound train was actually using the westbound track. We were assured we were safe, but we did have to stop a number of times and travel very slowly at others. Even at regular speed, the train was only going about 30-35 mph. There are plenty of curves to navigate and steep hills to climb.

The eastbound train approaching a show shed.

The early snow sheds were built of wood. Sparks from the locomotives could set them on fire, so lookouts were posted on a far away mountaintop to keep watch. Crews would be dispatched to deal with any fires. Concrete sheds eventually replace the wooden ones.

Even though this is near the summit, there is little snow. Normally there would be ten to twelve feet at this time of year, but we just experienced our third driest February and March on record.

Donner Lake

Donner Lake is named after the ill-fated party of pioneers who reached the area after the winter storms had set in and were unable to complete their crossing. They split into two groups and camped near the lake.

The eastern slope of the Sierras near the Nevada border.

The terrain changed greatly once we began our descent on the eastern side of the Sierras where there is little rainfall.

An irrigation canal on the eastern slope of the Sierras.

The early settlers built many irrigation canals, or ditches as they are more commonly called, to take water from the Sierras to the communities at lower elevations. Many of these engineering marvels are still in use today.

Our daughter, Adriana, poses beneath Reno’s famous archway.

Due to the delays, we reached Reno around 4:30 p.m. The train station is right downtown, so we were able to walk to the casino where Gwynly had booked our room. We enjoyed a nice dinner, played a few games in the carnival portion of Circus Circus, and lost a whopping $4.00 at the penny slots. Nope. We’re not big gamblers.

An irrigation canal on the California side of the Sierras.

We boarded the train the following morning at 8:30 a.m. On the return trip, I discovered where the docents hang out and paid them a visit. They gave me some great info for the story I’m writing.

Thanks to my research trip, I will be better able to describe the train trip many of my characters made when they came to California. I’m grateful I didn’t have to make it in the days when women wore Victorian dresses with layers of petticoats and dealt with the soot and ash from the steam locomotives raining on the cars. I did, however, experience the drunk-like stagger needed to keep my balance as I walked between the cars. Too bad I didn’t take a video camera.

❤❤❤

Questions for You

Have you ever ridden a train?
If so, what did you like best about the experience?

❤❤❤

My apologies for getting this post up late. We learned last week that our daughter, Adriana, a German-French major graduating this June, got a job in France. Come October, she’ll be a teaching assistant in English classes in French middle and/or high schools around the city of Lille in northern France. Needless to say, I’m quite excited, so much so that I forgot to write my post.

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