Hi again… It’s been a bit since we last wrote. Our busy lives sometimes get in the way of the fun we want to have and that’s even more reason to make the time to get away to stay in touch with someone you love. Jane and I recently were able to do just that without leaving the area. Eau Claire and its surrounds have so many interesting getaways – you just have to look and give them a try.

We have eaten several times at 29 Pines restaurant, at the corner of Hwy 29 and County Road T, just northwest of Eau Claire. We’ve always enjoyed the delicious food and their prices are just right. With the northwoods-themed, cabin décor, it really feels like you’ve traveled far out of Eau Claire.  On this particular trip, we went just a bit later in the evening and we found ourselves sitting at the far edge of the dining room, quite alone.

Jane decided to try the Jumbo Shrimp dinner and had plenty to eat. I enjoyed the Pepperoni-stuffed Chicken, which was wonderful. We both took advantage of a trip through the very substantial salad bar and added a couple of drinks to celebrate a particularly good week. As expected, our 29 Pines meals were delicious and the quiet corner we were in allowed us to reconnect our lives.

We had planned to extend our time alone with an overnight stay at the attached Sleep Inn & Suites hotel. The entire facility is clean and fresh and the folks there have really done an excellent job of creating a destination that has it all, from hotel and restaurant to a Leinie’s Lodge, convenience store, travel center and gas station…even a hair salon and tanning center!

After a quick check-in, we found our guest room to be clean and comfortable, with a microwave, refrigerator and more. We were able to immediately settle in, put our stress behind us and pretend we had traveled far to get here. The Sleep Inn has a very nice pool and hot tub, which was a perfect way to continue our romantic getaway.

Our suggestion: make the time to spend time together regularly to recharge the romance in your lives. And while a trip to a tropical island is certainly one way to accomplish that, there are plenty of places right around here to have some one-on-one time alone with someone you love.

Later, Tim