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When I started my retirement travels in 2009, I wanted a way to share it with family and friends as it was happening. Hence, "My Travel Journal". However I realized I wouldn't always be on a trip and wondered what to do with the blog in between times. My daughter pointed out, wisely, that travels can also include trips to the kitchen to try a new recipe, trips to visit family, trips to my neighborhood Starbucks, or a fun day trip with a friend. You're welcome to join me on any of these journeys! I've set up individual pages for each of my major trips (see tabs above).

Also, I have an Etsy shop where my current needlework resides. The last pieces I posted here were in 2013! So if you'd like to see what I have accomplished recently, go to (and I apologize for having to copy and paste):

www.etsy.com/shop/thedollhouseneedle

I recently added an "Italian Word a Day" thingie which shows up at the bottom of every page. You see the word and can click to hear it pronounced. I've been enjoying it and I think my accent is improving as time goes by.

September 18, 2014

Great News - for me at least!

PLEASE NOTE:  I've added the "Follow by e-mail" bar above which you may find helpful. You type your address in the bar provided, hit submit and a box comes up with one of those security number things. Type that in, hit submit and then you're subscribed. My understanding is that then any posts I create will come to you as e-mails.  The only thing I'm not positive about is getting the pictures included in the post.  The system I used said it depends on whether the subscriber's e-mail is set up to receive HTML.  If not, I think you only get the post.  But if you want to follow the trip, it would be worth a try and if you get the post with no pictures then at least it lets you know each time I put up a new one and you can decide if you want to link to the actual blog to see the pictures.  And if you do follow my trip, I would love to get comments from you.  Especially when I'm traveling alone, it is really nice to have little notes waiting for me. :)

I have been such a poor blogger since Sophia left, but I'm posting this as a notice to anyone passing by that I'll be leaving for Italy on October 8!  And...my son Chris is going to fly over with me and spend a week in Florence before heading back home so I will FINALLY get to share Florence with someone!!!  I'll share with you right now.

Those of you who have followed my travels know that I refer to this as "my Duomo" and I can't wait to see it again!  And...

When Chris leaves for home, I will leave for Sicily!!!  I've been contemplating a visit there for quite a while and kept wavering between yes and no depending on what I was reading at any given moment.  But I've finally decided yes and can't wait to become acquainted with this island filled with such a huge amount of history and numerous cultural influences and ancient Greek ruins and surrounded by sea and I'm betting some pretty fantastic food and, and, and!

I'll be spending close to two weeks there and most of that I will be staying in one lodging located in Ortygia which is a little bit of a sort of peninsula off the city of Siracusa - or maybe it's even an actual little island itself connected by a bridge.  I don't remember right now.  Here's a picture on the left of where I'm staying - it has a roof top terrace - and a picture on the right that I think is taken from the terrace (or front of the building).  Pretty nice, eh?



At any rate, there will be plenty to see and I will try and take a couple of day trips while there.  Then I'll spend 4 nights in Palermo, the capital of Sicily and hope to do at least one day trip while there.

So arrivederci  for now.  My first Italy post will probably be from Milan - that's where we arrive and we'll spend one night there before taking the train to Florence.

4 comments:

Christopher said...

Great news for ME too...! My first-ever trip to Italy! I'm really looking forward to Florence (and Milan) of course for the 2 cathedrals, but also art, history, cafe, vino, pane e olio d'oliva, and time spent with mumsy!

Mary Lynne said...

Ain't he just a sweet son??

Jamie said...

How sweet! And exciting! I can't wait to hear all about it and see pics. No offense to you Mary Lynne, but Chris has better camera!

Elga said...

Have fun Mary Lynne! I am so happy you can go again and get to spend time with your son in one of your favorite places!

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