Family reunion

When I am at home two of my favorite food snacks are green. This time of year I am thrilled because my favorite one is in season, asparagus fries. OK, basically asparagus fries are just asparagus that is steamed and then cooled and eaten like a fry. I make a dip with ranch dressing and just a hint of horseradish. Then there is my other green snack, edamame. I first had these at a sushi restaurant. Now I find I can buy them in the frozen food section. They come in microwavable steaming bags. Add a little salt and use your teeth to pop the soy bean out of the pod into your mouth. Don’t try eating the little hairy pods it is a yucky experience. I tried that once, only once. I may not be green in everything but going green for me includes my snacks.

The Costa Concordia cruise ship sinking was a terrible tragedy for the passengers, cruise line and could be for you too. Don’t go running for the mountains because the ocean now feels unsafe. The statistics show that cruise ship travel is still one of the safest modes of vacationing.

If you allow the images and stories from the media to activate your fear and over ride your good sense then you will never travel. You won’t be able to watch movies, TV, the news or read a newspaper without coming unglued about all types of vacation disasters.

I just watched “When Vacations Attack” yesterday. It was showing a fishing charter in Alaska that had an explosion in the engine room and sank. The people survived but just barely. I am planning on going on that very fishing trip in Alaska this summer. Even though I am a seasoned traveler it still unnerved me.