Category Archives: Travel

Ciao Milano

We got back to the U.S.A. yesterday at four in the afternoon. I thought this eagle from the ceiling of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan was appropriate for the transition back.

It’s going to take a few days to recover from my latest adventures especially since the incubated bug I probably picked up 10 days ago on our flight back from California has decided to loom it’s ugly head. Ive also come home to lots of news that I missed being off line for just 48 hours. You never know what a day holds.

During this lenten season I’ve been reading 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Here’s part of the reading from today on the subject of living in community…

We must be ready
to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God, who will thwart our plans and
frustrate our ways time and again, even daily, by sending people across our
path with their demands and requests.

It’s good to be home and to be able to communicate with loved ones in both their grief and their joy. I’m looking forward to reading about what you’ve been up to as I sit on the couch with a tissue stuffed up my nose. Blessings!

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ~ P. C. #5

Evening

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the oldest shopping mall in Italy, housed within a four-story double arcade in central Milan. The Galleria is named after Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. This galleria is adjacent to the Cathedral in Milan.

Morning

It’s Tuesday and Dear’s last short session at the conference ends this morning. We have plans to visit the Monumental Cemetery and to check out the back of the Duomo. Later we have dinner reservations for our last evening in Milan.

Postcard # 5 ~ La Scala

La Scala is a world renowned opera house in Milan. The theatre was inaugurated on August 3, 1778. We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the auditorium where all the cool box seats are located. We were able to take photos in this adjacent hall with these beautiful Murano glass chandeliers. I’m pretty sure the tour guide said these were Murano glass. She was speaking German and English and sometimes it was hard to follow.

It snowed on Monday morning in Milan. The snow stayed on the tops of the cars but quickly turned to rain. I’m staying in today and will venture out tomorrow in what should be better weather for our last bit of sight seeing. We leave Milan very early in the morning on Wednesday.

An Interlude…

…from my postcards. Because it snowed this morning in Milan and the weather is overall cold and wet I have some spare time on my hands today and decided I’d go back to sunny Southern California and continue on my posts from my niece Debbee’s shower. Later today a postcard will pop up from the opera house so I thought my interlude title for this post was appropriate.

The shower decor…

My niece Michelle hand made these cute little jar candles for each guest to take home.

Fresh flowers from the L.A. Flower market that my niece Melissa arranged in several different containers.

The gift table…

Niece Jessica made the shower cloud with rain drops…

Michelle or Melissa or both of them made this ribbon banner.

The main ideas for the shower were from Michelle and Melissa and they called on family and friends to gather up the items needed to pull it off. Many hands contributed to putting the ideas into the final result. Working together with my family is always a fun time. Thank you Michelle for opening your home to us for this special event.

2 more days in Milan and then we make the long trip home. Hope y’all are doing well…

San Siro Stadium ~ A.C. Milan

Postcard #4

I’m happy to say I made it to my first International soccer game in a country other than my own! I’ll have lots to share about this day later with more photos.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone. I quite by mistake ordered this drink and when it came to the table in it’s green glory it reminded me what day it was. The Italians don’t give much thought to St. Patrick’s day.

Dear Lord,
Give me a few friends
who will love me for what I am,
and keep ever burning
before my vagrant steps
the kindly light of hope…
And though I come not within sight
of the castle of my dreams,
teach me to be thankful for life,
and for time’s olden memories
that are good and sweet.
And may the evening’s twilight
find me gentle still.

God bless you all my dear friends!

Duomo Di Milano ~ Postcard #3

Dear and I visited the Duomo after our trip to Lake Como. I have about 100 photos from this amazing cathedral. On Saturday I was able to see an original painting of the Last Supper…no photos allowed. Tomorrow the weather is turning. I’m hoping to get to the San Siro stadium for the A.C. Milan vs. Palermo soccer match.

Wish you were here my bloggy friends. We could really give the Italians a run for their money! Blessings…

Postcard from Varenna

Lake Como from Varenna…

More words later when I show you more from this little village on the Lake.

We had a full day of trains, wind, up and downhill walks, up and down stair walks. We are tired and tucking ourselves in. More touring tomorrow but this time on my own. Thank you for all your appreciated birthday greetings and comments in general. Ciao for now!

She Loved it…

My niece Debbee’s shower was so lovely. The embroidered pillow Katie and I traveled to Canada to purchase from Winks Home Garden & Gifts was a big hit.

We are still running down here in Southern California. I’ll share detailed shots from the trip and shower sometime soon. We fly home tonight. Hope all is well in your corner of the world!

Here, There and Everywhere…

I’m headed on a new adventure today with my girls. Here are some photos from the road this past week when we visited our son Dan and some other random shots from here, there, and everywhere!

The bridge over the Columbia on I-90 heading East at Vantage.

Friday turned out to be a glorious day in the Pacific Northwest.

The weather gave us lots of hope for future tulip days in April. But in March we always have daffodils popping up to make us smile.

Katie had 16 inches of her hair cut off to send to Locks of Love and she is now a vibrant red head! I’ll give you a sneak peek.

I’ll share the whole look later. As for me my hair is still the same with some grey covered up for now.

Hope you all have a great weekend. I’m not sure when I’ll be posting again because of our whirlwind trip to the Los Angeles area.