Let me say this up front - I’m not known for getting lost while driving! In fact I always take a different route to my favorite hangouts just to see a new terrain. Back-roads are my favorites where I can wave to the cows and yell “Nice to see you!” to the alpacas and sheep. I took countless pictures of new born colts sleeping at their mother’s feet while driving by a horse farm, and I always find my way to my destination. My husband on the other hand would get lost driving home from work.

       “We can’t all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud as we march by.” – Will Rogers

When it was announced on the loudspeaker that the nine-seat Cessna 402 would not be able to depart to Nantucket, for the island was “socked in” – meaning it was covered in impenetrable fog – the ticket agent peered into nine disappointed faces. Starting our vacation a day late was a blow to our well thought-out plans. She quickly surmised that she could instantly become a hero if an alternate plan could be devised, so with a confident smile she declared that she could send us to Hyannis, where we could hop on the last ferry of the day.

I grew up in a small town in Europe. My family was not wealthy in the material sense, but where love of family was concerned we were very rich. Our winters were hard, and snow was never in small supply. Living in close proximity to the Danube, the humid winter air was bone chilling. The snow squeaked under our feet, and our noses stuck together. Every child acquired the skill of snowman building and snowball fights were honed to a fine art. Snow days at school were unheard of, unless you had to travel to another town that was too far for walking and the trains got stuck.

Halloween                       

The number of kids coming to my door to get their Halloween treats trickled down to only one last year. So today, instead of keeping my light on outside and letting in the cold through the half-opened door, I will turn the light low, pull the shades shut, fill a mug with hot-mulled wine and reminisce about my youth’s October 31st.

“Halottak Napja” in Hungary--the Day of the Dead.

Following are two guest book entries from a stay in a Nantucket home one recent October:

Nantucket Guest Book,  Sept. 24 – Oct.1,  2011 (first entry)

Dear Kathleen,

The weather could not have been better, even though there were dire predictions before we left Colorado.

What is it about Nantucket that keeps nagging at your soul and urging you to come back again and again?

As I've stated so many times, Nantucket is my all-time dream vacation spot. The only reason I discovered it was that I like the name of the place and wanted to see it. I love everything about that magical island, and can’t wait to get back there as often as I can.

Have you ever dreamed about spending Christmas somewhere different, other than being cocooned at home? It would have to be a special place. It would have to be some place magical, where your life would be reshaped for a few days, and where you could renounce your customary holiday just once, in return for a lasting memory. I’m thinking of a place like Nantucket, where you would be charmed by its relaxed tempo of life, and embraced by its peaceful winter solitude.  

Here's a “Nantucket in winter” theme and wove the details for an island dream.