Buona Sera

January 9, 2009—About ten days into our trip, Tom turned to me and said, "WHY are you so wound up?" Rome is overwhelming. There is so much to see, do, visit, taste, walk, climb, and touch. I FELT very wound up, because there were so many possibilities!

I loved the rich sensuality of Rome. The colors, the smells and sounds, the architecture and art and history....this trip was mainly about history. I was in Rome 30 years ago, for much too short a time, and I really wanted to see all those things I had missed the first time around. I also wanted to enjoy the city for itself.

We had a wonderful apartment, in a wonderful neighborhood, with wonderful wines and bars and bread stores and markets, and a wonderful time. Pictures and details coming soon!

Headed for La Dolce Vita

December 1, 2008—It's time, time for a new adventure! Last Christmas, after a trip to visit my family in Georgia, Tom and I took a couple of fun but short trips, to Marengo Caves in southern Indiana and to Madison, Wisconsin (to see the radio show Whad'ya Know). This summer we did the "Circle Drive" around Lake Michigan, from Chicago through Indiana, into southern Michigan, up to Traverse City, then to St. Ignace, where we took the ferry to Mackinaw Island; afterwards, we completed the drive through the Upper Penninsula and down through Wisconsin.

But now, it's almost time for another European get-away, this year to Rome. For two weeks, we plan to wander around the Forum, gaze at the Sistine, gasp at the Borghese, and generally have a good time in Roma.

Back from the Heights!

August 24, 2007—This year, my vacation was one of those sorts we took when I was a kid: get in a car and drive to a lot of interesting places and see pretty sights! Tom and I actually flew in order to get in a car; we flew to Calgary, where we rented a car and drove from the depths of the Badlands to the heights of the Canadian Rockies.

What a gorgeous trip. As Tom mentioned, it was like looking at postcards, no matter which way you turned your head.

My trip report is up and ready. It still needs some fine-tuning (a lot more links, some re-arranging of pictures), but it's basically ready for public viewing if anyone wants to check it out. Visit My Alberta Clipper! (Of course, anyone who lives in Chicago will know why I call it that. . .)

The Garden Is in Bloom!

April 23 , 2007—Finally, a little warm weather. I've spent the last several days working in the yard. Yes, flowers really are in bloom (click on the link above for new garden pictures).

So instead of travel, I've been working on the pottery (click the link above to see new items or see my eBay listings under "crcrumsey"), and gardening. The Hyde Park Garden Fair (of which I'm a member) is coming up on May 18 and May 19; see hydeparkgardenfair.org for details. It should be very interesting; I've already ordered almost 500 perennials and grasses for my department.

And the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference continues to rumble around Hyde Park. The latest news is that Chicago won the US Olympic Committee's endorsement (over Los Angeles) to compete for the hosting privileges, which means the new 80,000-seat stadium might be built two blocks from my house. We shall see!

Stay tuned for what's next . . .