5 days agoThe Conclusion of NaNoWriMo 2023National Novel Writing Month for 2023 has come to an end. I wrote 16,602 words for my Meandering Mandy travel blog! I had a wonderful time writing with friends at Panera Bread, Café Literato, Flying High Tea, and Teays River Brewing & Public House, as well as virtually from the…Travel Writing1 min readTravel Writing1 min read
6 days agoLuck of the Irish? Part TwoOn Sunday morning, we ate the hotel’s continental breakfast and then loaded up on the bus which took us on a tour of the city. We saw Phoenix Park from our bus seats, which is the largest park in Europe and contains the residence of the United States Ambassador to…Ireland5 min readIreland5 min read
Nov 28Luck of the Irish? Part OneMy husband and I had booked a trip to Ireland through the travel company called EF Ultimate Break at the end of May and beginning of June in 2023. We would be traveling with a group of other young adults and a group leader around the country in a circle…Ireland4 min readIreland4 min read
Nov 18Traveling Without Actually Going Anywhere: Universal Yums from GermanyIn October 2023, our subscription box of global treats came full of snacks from the European country of Germany. It was an appropriate choice for this month since Germany is host to Oktoberfest, a beer festival held every year in Munich, Germany. Our first treat from this German box was…Germany3 min readGermany3 min read
Nov 16Preparing for our Ireland Group TourI was wanting to visit Ireland with my husband, but I was wary of traveling there on our own. Why? People drive on the left side of the road in Ireland! I would have been so nervous if David was driving in an unfamiliar country with unfamiliar laws on an…Ireland4 min readIreland4 min read
Nov 14Traveling Without Actually Going Anywhere: Universal Yums from CzechiaCzechia, also known as the Czech Republic, was responsible for filling our September’s Universal Yums snack subscription box. Up first, my husband and I ate bacon jalapeno chips, which tasted like normal Lay’s potato chips and were surprisingly not spicy at all! It was such as surprise, because when I…Czechia2 min readCzechia2 min read
Nov 11More Thoughts on Blythe Roberson’s Book, America the Beautiful?A few months ago, I read Blythe Roberson’s book, America the Beautiful?: One Woman in a Borrowed Prius on the Road Most Traveled. I also wrote a book review on her memoir in which I praised her work. …Thoughts4 min readThoughts4 min read
Nov 9Read, Review, Travel: America the Beautiful?In August, my husband and I traveled for a few days to Portland, Oregon. I had never been to Oregon, so I had to go so I could get closer to my goal of visiting all 50 states. While there, we walked downtown to Powell’s Books, which is the world’s…Book Review5 min readBook Review5 min read
Nov 5Traveling Without Actually Going Anywhere: Universal Yums from GreeceIn August 2023, we tried yummy snacks from the country of Greece. First, we ate oregano potato chips. These were surprisingly good! I am not usually a fan of potato chips, but I really liked these! As one of the stickers said, I was definitely “Greeking out over these”! Our…Greece2 min readGreece2 min read
Nov 2The Start of 2023’s National Novel Writing MonthEvery November, it is National Novel Writing Month where writers from around the world get together (or stay at home) and try to write at least 50,000 words in a month! I have done this event for several years, with my first year being either in 2015 or 2016. How…National Novel Writing4 min readNational Novel Writing4 min read
