The countdown has begun


Kim Brooks
Babbling Brooks Column
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

Getting closer to my reading goal

     This weekend I finished my third book of my reading challenge. I set my goal at eight books, which to some might seem rather small. But life is busy, and I’ll admit I don’t dedicate near as much of my free time to reading as I probably should.

     But, now that I’ve developed this pattern of a book a month, perhaps my reading goal needs to increase to 12 books… Let’s not get too carried away, though. There are some months where free time ceases to exist. For instance, July is packed with the Fourth of July and the Great Jones County Fair.

     My recent book, “The Kennedy Wives” by Amber Hunt, was one of the many Kennedy dynasty books I own and have read. This one, though, was by far one of my favorite! It was filled with sight into the lives of the women who married into the Kennedy family, including Ted Kennedy’s last wife, Victoria Reggie Kennedy. The facts divulged about their lives before they became Kennedys were quite interesting. I read about Joan Bennett Kennedy’s upbringing, and you can see why she had a rough adult life. Between that, the untimely deaths of many in the Kennedy family, and the campaigning demands of the Kennedys, Joan resorted to alcohol. That ultimately ended her marriage to Ted in the early 1980s.

     I highly recommend this book if you’re at all interested in Kennedy history.

Countdown to vacation

     About a month ago, my mom and I started talking about taking some time off work, getting away. (I enjoy time away with my mom. We have very similar tastes in interests, so it’s easy to find something to do. In the past few years, we’ve gone to the Mall of America for the first time and drove along the west coast of Lake Michigan to tour lighthouses.)

     Knowing what we’ve done in the past, my mom suggested maybe going to one of the small towns we’ve stopped at along Lake Michigan, spending a few days there relaxing and sightseeing.

     Little did my mom know, I had another thought in my head in terms of vacation plans.

     For the past couple of years I have wanted to go to Washington, D.C. and do all of the typical tourist things such as seeing the national memorials and monuments, visiting the Smithsonian museums, and taking in the historic structures such as the White House, Capitol, and more.

     So as we were sitting at a restaurant discussing ideas, I just laid it all out on the table. (I had done some research into a trip to D.C. prior to this “meeting.”) Surprising, my mom wasn’t opposed.

     I shared with her all of the free things one can do while in D.C., which is nice not to have to spend a ton of money on a vacation, other than the flight, hotel, and food. (And of course souvenirs!)

     After the go-head from my mom, we began researching flights. It’s actually cheaper to fly out of Cedar Rapids than Des Moines. And I was told from locals who have recently been to D.C. themselves to fly into Reagan Airport versus Dulles. (Dulles is an international airport, and it’s busier, and no doubt crazier than Reagan.)

     Flight? Check!

     Next, hotels. We were warned that the metro in D.C. would become our best friend. So I made sure to find a hotel that was located outside of the city, meaning cheap. Other criteria included free shuttle service to the nearest metro and free breakfast, one less meal we have to pay for.

     After numerous calls to hotels in Maryland and Virginia, we booked one with all of our needs.

     Hotel? Check!

     Now, it’s just a few weeks until our trip and my excitement is getting the best of me!

     Being the organizer that I am, I still want to plan our days in D.C. We secured a private tour of the U.S. Capitol thanks for Sen. Joni Ernst’s office. Unfortunately, Congress will be on spring break the week we are there. (So much for meeting Chuck Schumer or Elizabeth Warren.)

     More than just needing the time away, this trip to D.C. will be special. My mom is an Army veteran, and she has never been to our nation’s capital before. I was there for my first time in 2011 as part of an Iowa Honor Flight, but the hours you spend in D.C. as part of that program go fast. I am looking forward to seeing more of D.C. with my mom, taking in the history there, and making memories.

Category:

Subscriber Login