Sometimes, we just need to go in our own backyard to find a fun filled vacation. We are lucky in the South Sound to have so many resources available to us. From Mountains to Ocean, we have it all.

I had the pleasure of spending some time on the Long Beach Peninsula in the south western tip of Washington. I have been to Long Beach many times enjoying the ocean, but never really took the time to explore the area. With a week to enjoy, we had the opportunity to really see the lifestyle of Long Beach and the surrounding area.

If you are looking for a vacation where you can truly relax and not have to spend your retirement savings, consider taking a cruise.

My husband and I took a 15-day cruise to Hawaii on the Princess Diamond. The ship was huge. At the bow (front) of the ship, we found a theater and a large casino. There was also the concierge desk, gift shops, a comfy lounge, and a library. There was even a writer’s room where you could sit comfortably and write till your heart’s content. In the center of the ship, a variety of dining rooms were available.

As millions of baby boomers begin the transition into their golden years "retirement" is a word that is falling out of favor. Today's 60-year-olds, the active generation that brought us jogging, the snowboard and mountain bike, are redefining retirement. Today, they are looking for choice and flexibility.

It’s no secret that we are living longer and in better health than ever before. Boomers will continue to try to do things they’ve always liked to do, pushing the envelope as they go. A 2006 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry said the happiest retirees are those who have a sense of purpose and participate in activities they enjoy. According to Todaysseniors.com, retirement now is a liberating experience filled with options never before available because seniors are healthier and more active.

It started innocently enough.

I joined a gym on the west side.

How could I know, or suspect, that this small step for womankind (me) would pay huge dividends over and above physical exercise and stress reduction.

At first, I felt uncomfortable and out of place, not knowing the drill, not having anyone to talk to. I listened to the animated conversations in the locker room and felt shy about joining in.

One day I jumped in and complimented a woman in the locker room on her beautiful electric blue business suit. Turned out that we both have German shepherds. Another woman I saw frequently at the gym said hello and we exchanged names. Turned out that we were both consultants. Another woman on the treadmill next to mine complimented me on a bracelet I was wearing one day. Turned out we both had teaching backgrounds.

Mazes date back 4000 years and like their fabled pathways they have taken some surprising turns. They are thought to have been first used in rituals and processions and were soon found in homes, public buildings, and in artwork. As the centuries went on, they were seen in architecture and used as inlays in the floors of French Cathedrals. Later formal gardens were developed throughout Europe and the ‘hedge mazes’ were found at the wealthiest castles. By the 19th century, they had made their way to agriculture, and by the 1970s, mazes were well known as common forms of recreation and entertainment.