Back to the Grind

Venice, like no place else in the world!

I’ve taken a month off from the grueling work of blogging.  The trouble with not blogging for a month is that it is so difficult to figure out where to start now that I’m ready to write again.  Perhaps it’s best to just jump into the fray and see where I wind up…

Duomo in Milan

In April I made my first trip to Italy.  I met my daughter, who was working in Milan for two weeks, and took advantage of her company-paid hotel room.  I was surprised that I was nervous about the trip.  I’ve traveled quite a bit both with the spouse and by myself.  I think I was uneasy about not speaking Italian.  I was quite pleased with myself when I arrived at the hotel after taking the bus and then a short taxi ride from the airport (“The taxis are so expensive, take the bus, Mom.”)  After a quick change of clothes we headed out to see the Duomo, and a pickpocket got my wallet with all my credit cards and money…a lot of money.  Less than two hours in Italy and I was broke!

I spent a few hours angry and preoccupied, but then I forced myself to recognize that I shouldn’t let one unfortunate experience ruin a wonderful trip.  I called the spouse and had him cancel my credit cards.  My daughter loaned me money and a credit card, with only a few snide comments about my fitness to travel alone.

It was a wonderful trip.  I stood alone in a dim museum with the sculpture that Michelangelo was working on when he died, and viewed Leonardo DaVinci’s The Last Supper in the former dining hall of an ancient monastery.  I marveled at Venice, which looks exactly like every picture you’ve ever seen of it, but in person is hard to believe that it really exists.  We cruised Lake Como, but never caught a glimpse of George Clooney.  Best of all I spent two weeks with my daughter.

Venice

Sarah at Murano Glass Factory

While I was exploring  Italy  spring arrived in Hermiston.  The tulips were still blooming when I returned.   Both the spouse and I have spent a lot of time working in the yard.  The spouse has planted a big garden.  I expected a duplicate of last year’s a few tomatoes and peppers and a couple of cucumbers, but we’ve got a small truck garden complete with drip irrigation and tomatoes residing in rows of white tenting.  We harvested our first crop last week.  Every meal in our house now comes with radish garnish!  

Radishes in my garden, that are now washed and trimmed in a tupperware container in my refrigerator.

Well, that wasn’t so hard.  Now I just need to get back in the habit of writing.  It’s good to be back.  I’ll be dropping by your blogs to see what you’ve all been up to.