Leavenworth was a good time. Something we may try to repeat annually. Here’s Clara and I giving some shout outs to a few friends from the deck of our cabin:
Vonnie, Traci (Vonnie’s Neice) and myself chillin’ at the campfire:
So,I’m driving right now (well, actually, Chad is driving, I’m blogging on his newest BlackBerry) and we are passing the ski slopes at Snoqualimie Pass but there is no snow to be found, so it looks pretty funny. Anyway we are headed to Leavenworth for the weekend with a group of friends and Chad’s family. I will surely be posting numerous pix in a few days.
We are passing a major forest fire right now. The eastern half of the state is dry and hot!
Just finished my last bit of allowed travel for this pregnancy (to Victoria, B.C. via a ferry ride) with some GA gal pals, Suzanne and Shay, who came up to visit. See how much fun we had . . .
. . . having “High Tea” . . .
. . . at The Fairmont Empress Hotel:
. . . finding the General Lee’s nemisis “across the pond”:
(We never did find Flash.)
. . . and making new friends:
. . . while strolling in Chinatown:
Hello and welcome to my life. If you ever visited my original blog A Southerner In Ireland then you just need to know that, since I’m no longer a world traveler, I’ll be primarily posting to this blog.
Of late, you can SEE the recent events in My Life posted over at Carrie’s Musings (I’ve tried to return the favor below).
And now, for my inaugural post, I’ll leave you with this ‘oh so apropos’ poem by Emily Dickinson:
‘T is so much joy! ‘T is so much joy!
If I should fail, what poverty!
And yet, as poor as I
Have ventured all upon a throw;
Have gained! Yes! Hesitated so
This side the victory!
Life is but life, and death but death!
Bliss is but bliss, and breath but breath!
And if, indeed, I fail,
At least to know the worst is sweet.
Defeat means nothing but defeat,
No drearier can prevail!
And if I gain, oh, gun at sea,
Oh, bells that in the steeples be,
At first repeat it slow!
For heaven is a different thing
Conjectured, and waked sudden in,
And might o’erwhelm me so!
Well, we decided to skip the day trip to Pompeii because there are just too many things to see in Rome and we didn’t want to rush either Rome or the trip to Pompeii. Plus, we are really tired. Rome is a walking city, but the Metro/Underground isn’t nearly as convenient as in Paris in London so our dogs are really barking, if you know what I mean.
Today we went to the Colosseum and the Paletine Hill. Had a great time – see:
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Tomorrow we leave for Venice. Tune in tomorrow. Same bat time. Same bat channel.
Ciao!
. . . do as the Romans do. That means form lines in clumps and then boldly cut in front of those who’ve been there an hour. It’s amazing how many people won’t question what makes you so special.
So, yes, we arrived today and, thankfully, I’ve been studying up on my italiano so that we were able, with only minor difficulty, to direct il tassi driver to our albergo. From our room at the Hotel Columbus we look directly out to the Basillica San Pietro (St. Peter’s Cathedral) in the Vatican City.
Being so close we explored the Basillica this afternoon after an authentic lunch at a nearby pizzarea. Shockingly enough, they were out of pizza at the pizzarea. So we had the next best thing – pasta. After resting in the room a bit, we stepped back out on the town looking for a highly recommended pizzarea called Baffeto (thanks Shma!). The (European-style) line to the place was literally out the door and the pizza was delicioso – mm, mm, good.
Tomorrow morning we will explore the Colloseum and Roman Forums on our own, then take an afternoon tour to the Appian Way (Ecco Romana!) and Catacombs. I’ll try to get pictures up on the picture page tomorrow notte.
Monday we’ve decided to take a day trip out to Naples and Pompeii. I’m very excited about that! Will keep you “posted” as the trip unfolds. For now, arrivaderci!
Train Station:
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Our little hotel room:
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Our view of St. Pete’s Cathedral from the room:
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Wish I had a good story to tell, but, alas and anon, I do not. Not too terribly much has been happening these days. Just reading (currently Brick Lane by Monica Ali), getting lost in Stars Hollow with The Gilmore Girls and generally laying around.
Every other day or so, I make the 40 minute hike into town on some trumped up errand just to get out of the hotel. This weekend we had friends in town visiting and that was a nice change of pace but they are gone now, sightseeing around the island.
On Saturday we leave Dublin and arrive in Rome. Hopefully, I will have some interesting stories from that experience. In fact, I’m sure of it. At the very least, I’ll have pictures. We will also be in Venice and I understand this is the time of year for flooding, so we will get a neat perspective of the city.
So, yeah, nothing’s changed. Still no top sheet or service, no ManOnTheCorner but good Trad Music isn’t hard to find – “Bring back, bring back, bring back my Bonny to me, to me!”.
Wish I had something more to give. :<
Pretty flowers I see on my walk into town.
This is a picture of the buttons on the lifts in our hotel. Do you notice anything funny (funny hmmm, not funny ha ha) about them?
I commented on it to Chad on the first day and, in presumably typical American fashion, we chalked it up to those crazy Europeans. But, last night we went to dinner with an English and French guy and they both commented on the buttons on our way out.
So, I guess we can no longer blame the entire European community. Perhaps it’s a Irish thing or a Dublin thing? Or perhaps its just this silly hotel’s thing. Who knows?! 
We arrived in the land of the “sniffy Liffy” yesterday. Yes, we’re back in ye ol’ Dublin and all settled in. Some were concerned that I might have to spend the next 3 weeks avoiding TheManOnTheCorner again, but all y’all can relax because we are staying at a hotel in Ballsbridge. Although not far from where our apartment was, I conveniently miss the corner of said man entirely.
And, as most of you know, not only am I once again A Southerner in Ireland, but I can now add the distinction of being A Pregnant Southerner in Ireland!
I’ll probably have more to say about the pregnant part than the Ireland part this time around, but perhaps it will be just as entertaining???
In fact, to start, let’s talk about super senses. I’m a fan of superheros in general – Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Batman Returns, Batman the Beginning, Batman the Man, Batman the Bat (sorry, tangent).
Anyway, yeah, the abilities to fly and jump over tall buildings in a single bound seem like they could come in quite handy in a number of situations, as does super strength, super eyesight, maybe super hearing (although I’m not sure hearing mice stomping around in the attic when I’m trying to sleep is especially useful). However, I can definitely tell you from experience that having a super sense of smell is not a good thing.
Besides a super appetite, if that counts, super smell is the only super power pregnancy seems to bring. I’ve been able to amaze my friends with this abiltiy, that’s true. I can smell a beer burp from the other room as soon as it is emitted. I can smell the dirt being hauled to the Seattle’s third runway carried by a truck 2 lanes over and passing me at 60 miles an hour on Hwy 518. But impressing my friends is heavily outweighed by the nausea and disgust that I must deal with simply by coming too close to practically any object, especially food and drink.
The smell of most fruit: disgusting. My shampoo: smells like fruit, i.e. disgusting. Thin Mints, Mint Frangos, any normally yummy minty delight: gagomatic. Even dust smells! It actually smells like smoke somehow?? And speaking of smoke, even outside in the open air, I am constantly having to stay at least 5 feet from anyone smoking a ciggy as it causes a real gag reflex and often leaves a little spitup in my mouth. And drinks? DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED! They all taste funny, kind of metalic or bitter – water, coke, you name it. (Sorry to make this so descriptive, but I want you to understand how NOT worthwhile a super sense of smell is.)
And, with that, I think my job here is done. (I love it when a plan comes together.) I’m signing off now. Concerned about getting in touch with me if you need help? Not sure where you’ll find a gigantic spotlight in the shape of a nose? Don’t fret, mon frier, I’ll be able to smell your fear and will find you. Just stay alive, you hear me? I will find you!
Yo, homes, smell ya later!
*******
P.S. Quiz: I have loose references to numerous TV shows and movies in this particular blog, including The A-Team, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Last of The Mohicans. Can you find them all?
P.P.S. I updated My Papa’s Poetry with a couple more poems he wrote about my Aunt Lucille.
Turns out we are going back to Dublin for about 3 weeks the end of October so there will be a Southerner in Ireland once again. We will also spend 4 days in Rome and about 4 days in Venice. Lookin’ forward to talking about it all here!
