Welcome to 2017! It is hard to believe we have completed our second holiday season and are looking ahead to another Valentine’s Day. Of course, the Christmas season was full of decorating and parties, not to mention the Merry Main Street Parade! We got to meet and visit the owners of the new APX Market and cannot wait to get to know them better.

In between those, though, I was able to take a much-needed break with my parents. We traveled home for Christmas and got to enjoy all the traditions we missed so much last year. We visited with just about every member of our extended family and it was great to see everyone.

After we got back, we had a week to work on some improvements in the inn. Our goal was to strip wallpaper in the parlor and up- and down-stairs foyers and paint them. We had such a great team to help us out that we got that finished, plus the downstairs hallway and all the exterior doors AND deep-cleaning the kitchen a day early! Thank you to Deirdre, Verne, Marc, Rachael, Stella and Harry for all the extra work you put in those three days.

Then the fun really began. I’d been hearing everyone talk about “vacation”. Apparently I’d visited this mystical place before and just did not remember. Mother had joined me at the computer a few weeks before to look at pictures and pick out activities. I suppose going to Vacation requires a lot of prior planning. It was not until I heard that we were going to visit Mickey that I began to be really interested. Surely a trip to the home of such a cheerful and upstanding Mouse would be delightful. I was warned that meeting him would be preceded by a long car trip, but as we piled into the Versa, I ensured there were sufficient provisions (Christmas cookies and other assorted treats) for the journey.

Father says we made great time when we arrived, but I did not see Mickey anywhere that evening, nor the entire next day. Although I did enjoy some nice pool time with my Gigi & Grandad, Aunt Emmy, Uncle Will and cousins Jason and Kaylee while Mother and Father went to meet Harry Potter without me.

FINALLY the next day, I was told I would meet them all, Mickey, Donald, the whole gang and sure enough I did. And they were TERRIFYING!! I never knew they would be so big, with large un-blinking eyes and un-moving faces. I mean, for goodness sakes, he’s a mouse! Why was he bigger than me? Anyway, I made it out of lunch alive and we had a less eventful afternoon and rest of the week. I rode some nice rides and saw some lovely theater presentations.

For the most part, I loved spending the time with my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins that I do not get to see very often. Going to Vacation was good overall, but I am glad to be back home, back at the Babcock House, ready to greet and welcome our guests.