What day is it?

“I’m retired,” doesn’t exactly roll off of my tongue yet. Especially not when I’m still waiting for just one person to respond with, “you can’t possibly be old enough to retire!” In the midst of my second week of this new life chapter, I’ve got some observations - and some questions. Week One was a … Continue reading What day is it?

And so…

Here we are - the eve of my last day as a full time school librarian. It has been a week worthy of celebrating and I’m happily anticipating the day and the social mixer which will follow it. This excitement doesn’t mean that I won’t miss many aspects of my career. The connections with people, … Continue reading And so…

Dinner at home in Firenze

Almost 24 hours later, I think I’m finally able to attempt to share the finest moments of my time in Florence. This was my fourth visit to Florence, if you count the single day I spent there taking in David and having a shitty meal in a place that even we knew, was a tourist … Continue reading Dinner at home in Firenze

Roman Holiday wardrobe

Traveling exclusively with carryon luggage in the winter, is a far greater challenge than summer packing. Obviously, sweaters and long pants take up far more space than swimsuits and sundresses, but temperatures and precipitation can be much more unpredictable and I like to be prepared for whatever comes my way. Add a couple of festive … Continue reading Roman Holiday wardrobe

Quelle surprise!

The time I spent recently in Montreal was fundamentally sans agenda. Yes, there were a couple of jazz shows for which I had tickets, but we didn’t have as much as a single reservation for dining or specific plans for the majority of the roughly 72 hours we were in Canada. Being wide open leaves … Continue reading Quelle surprise!

Holiday shopping…

…is problematic. It’s the time of the year when many cultures traditionally exchange gifts. There’s a conditioned seasonal impulse to shop with a vengeance joy, often spending beyond our means in an effort to impress others with the amount we care for them. Wait! Am I projecting like the Republicans accusing the Democrats of sexual … Continue reading Holiday shopping…

Social battery. Drained

Somehow, November weekends have become very busy. This weekend, for instance, there was a Friday night event to attend, a Saturday afternoon baby shower (with an hour+ r/t drive), work Saturday night and then brunch in Woodstock Sunday morning with a couple of girlfriends. It was a multi-country extravaganza with hundreds of people surrounding me. … Continue reading Social battery. Drained