CARLA - You stole my dream!! Perhaps we can go together. I have always hoped that when I tour Europe I will be able to stay long enough in each place to truly enjoy myself and not have to rush around trying to squeeze everything in.

My big dream right now is just to be able to walk without pain----I'm sure I will think of a better one---be back later---LOL

Florence

Retire. So I don't have to commute 3 hours per day through the Hell known as New Jersey routes 78 and 287.

To have a three acre piece of property on the west coast perched on a towering cliff above the ocean backed by lush green hills, where the summers aren't hellish, RRD isn't a problem, and Japanese Beetles don't exist.

Something like this,

{{gwi:208503}}

Not anymore-I have reached the age where little things mean more.
A little nap,a little walk,a couple of fish,etc..
Of course I am retired,have been for 71/2 years and no longer have that trapped rat feeling because I do what I want all the time,anyway,except for Dr. visits.Since thats a huge industry down here we get shuffled around like sheep.The Dr's. can afford their big dreams.
That as you will find out when you get on Medicare is a huge scandal.Billions of dollars being wasted on useless doctor visits.

Allright, I have two dreams now. To do the one trip and to live on a island or Patrick's property.

Carla

{{gwi:208504}}

To summit Everest.

I've had this crazy dream for half my lifetime. Every now and then we revisit the dream but as of yet, we've got too many pokers in the fire, five of them in fact, that we need to put through college. Two are already there so three more to go. This is my one big dream.

Wouldn't it be a hoot if I actually got to do it? LOL!

Betty

I'd like to play some of the great violin concertos. If not that, then just be happy with what I can do and find some people to play with often. I'd like to play jazz violin, and also a marimba. Cello too, and piano. Too many dreams can spread you thin.

I'd also like to spend most of my time outside and have a beautiful garden. But I would like my house to be clean without me having to clean it.
I'd like to write some books ( fiction) . I'd like to travel to the Andes Mtns, New Zealand, Europe, England and Ireland. I've wanted to see the Himalayas but don't want to climb them.

I'd like to be forever young. I'd like to learn to paint and do ballroom dancing with my husband. I'm pretty sure it would be very rewarding to find some way to be helpful. How's that for big dreams?
Linda

I have been determined to turn all my dreams into reality. I'm climbing mountains (but not Everest!), travelling, seeing my kids graduate from college, pursuing artistic interests, forcing myself into new situations as a personal challenge, writing for a garden publication, all kinds of things.

My next challenge is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro this next February. Just got the yellow fever shot Friday.

My biggest dream is parallel to Patrick's: I hope to buy land on the Big Island in Hawaii, on the rainforest side (160 inches a year) where I can grow tropicals without fear of winter.

Carla, go for your dream to visit Germany. Just go for it, you will find a way to do it. Start planning and you'll be surprised what you can accomplish. Believe in your dreams and you will make them come true.

Wow, look at the beautiful photos. Some of you have wonderful aspirations and dreams. I hope they all come true for us. Linda, I plan to take lessons again, I still play sometimes.
Catkim, I have no doubt you will reach that mountain top!

Carla

Linda, my wife and I recently started taking a "writing class" from our local university. I am writing some fiction and 3 weeks ago, I had one printed in our local
newspaper. Having fun and doing what I want to do is my
biggest dream.

I've been lucky (and hard working) enough to achieve many of my dreams. I wanted 5 acres in the country, and I have it. I wanted a house on the property and we built it 10 years ago. I wanted to grow my kids up to be independent (1 to go). I wanted to play in a band regularly-yup, I'm doing it. I wanted to have a job I liked that would pay enough to make it easy on me and I have a great job that I love. I wanted to be able to grow flowers and vegetables and I do. My next dreams involve travel to tropical places, and getting the last child launched, and getting to retirement with enough money to travel to tropical places. I just keep plugging away at it a step at a time!
Kathy

No great dreams a few wishes. I'd like to see Sangerhausen during their rose season. I'd like to go to Slovenia to see a collection of paintings by a group of not so known artists The Slovene Impressionists. Would'nt mind a return to Paris or the West of Ireland.

Like Joe, stuff I want to do. The big one was to spend my next big birthday in Australia. I'm going to miss it by a week, but I am going this year. I will be there for Christmas. THAT will be weird because it will be summer there. And I'm taking swimming lessons so that I can snorkel at the reef.

See my nephew (he's 5 years old today!) graduate from law (or medical) school.

Win megaMillions and/or PowerBall.

Be the caretaker on Patrick's island!

Ooh, Harry, I didn't know you have THAT commute! Ewwwwww! :-O

I am a happy bird right where I am. The days are getting colder, but remain crisp and clear. We could use some rain as it is very dry.

I hope the weather holds long enough for 'Just Joey' to finish developing these huge fat buds that it has been growing. Just a bit more and they should open. It is kind of fun to check it every day.

It would be nice if my son the DINK, would get married and pump out a few brats. As I do not enjoy traveling all that much anymore, it would also be nice if he lived closer. These are things I have no control over.

My biggest dream is that my children and grandchildren would have an easier row to hoe in life. I am grateful that my Son & SIL are doing well and doing what they want to, but those long 10-12 hour days are becoming more the norm in our society. At least their commutes are more sane than they have been in the past.

God bless!

Foghorn!

To get my programming credential from Oxford :) Several years ago, I could not imagine what it'd be like or that I'd get in :) There were other career goals and children, but my back situation has made me have to be more flexible about some ideas :(

I may be miffed at the time it's taking but there is no doubt that I'll walk at the Sheldonian with my dad there and my mom in spirit. [At very least, he and I already visited the Sheldonian and told the guard that I'll get to see the inside some day as a graduate!]

I'd like to visit so many places. I'd like to see where my Irishman grew up, a land that was the backdrop of great Irish mythology and archeologically rich. Even if my hair frizzes so much in the drizzle ;>

I'd love my garden to be all that I dream, but it is sad that there are so few people around who would spend a while and enjoy it.

I'm glad to see so many dreams here [and with my classmates too] :) I'm bombarded too often with folks whose dream seems to be to complain at least half the day from here until eternity and nothing else!! Whatever floats your boat, I guess but that just seems such a grueling outlook...

My dream is to help establish a botanic garden in our Northern Michigan region. I've been working with a wonderful board for 7 years now, and we are getting closer and closer. Hopefully 2008 will be the year we finalize the site and begin building a garden.

Traveling or, to be more exact, to have enough money to travel - re-visit places I had been and get to know a bit about far away countries I've never seen: Japan, New Zealand, Peru just to name a few. (May sound strange but I am not that interested in China where there is no free travel in the country, strict rules confine where tourists can or cannot go) However, gardens would come second to old cities, towns, mansions, churches, paintings, etc.

Next, and as matter of fact it is the biggest and never to be able to turn into reality to have an apartment in Florence or a small villa outside Florence or some place in Northern Italy (but I had never been in Lombardia). In addition to have a flat in London. Best of all would be added to Florence/Toscana (or some place in Northern Italy) and London, a small apartment in Manhattan.

Oh, I know it is too much to wish for or dream about -but you asked about big dreams.

But traveling is THE big dream that does not seem to happen lately.

I would like to live where I don't have to drive or own a car, but still have a wonderful garden. Mostly though, I just dream when I sleep.

Finish my Masters degree (Job security)

Pay my house off (Decrease need for job)

Put all 3 kids through college (Scratch that last part about decreased need...)

Purchase sports car--convertible perhaps (no more minivan baby!!)

Go to England for several weeks and visit gardens and countryside villages (this is the big dream)

Grow old with grandbabies on my knees (I have been a single mom for so long---this will be so nice for me--just rock and cuddle with no stress)

My life is good and I am very blessed...but those are the things I think of as my plans for the future.

:o)

Ronda