Frescos, ceilings, tapestries, mosaics, sculptures… there are just too many beautiful things in Rome to name.
One image, however, has stayed with me the strongest. Petals and stone.
You already know that I travelled through Italy thirteen years ago. On that trip, the order in which we visited the major cities was Venice, Rome and finally Florence. Back then, Florence was my favourite city by a landslide. This year it took a huge hit in the ratings and landed squarely in third.
Looking back, I can clearly see why Florence2000 scored so high with the judge (me) and yet faired so poorly on this trip. As with Venice, time and circumstance have altered my perspective. Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged Florence, Italy, Palazzo Pitti, Piazzale Michelangelo, Rome, San Miniato al Monte, travel, Uffizi, Venice
I work in medical research and, up until very recently, my long-time gig was Motor Neuron Disease. More specifically, I worked in clinic with people who had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). You may also know it as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
ALS can be hard to diagnose. The early signs of the disease appear to be various other things and it isn’t until all of these other illness are ruled out that doctors begin to think of ALS. I once had a patient who, because swallowing problems were his first symptom, was scared he had throat cancer. By the time the diagnosis of ALS had been made, he and his wife told me they wished it had been cancer.
Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Canada, Darrell Cottam, Lou Gehrig's disease, Motor Neuron disease, Nova Scotia, Photography
The majority of travel guides recommend that you stay in a hotel outside of Venice and only travel in for day trips. This is because Venice is very expensive.
Venice is expensive, no question, but that’s because it is a group of islands where all services and deliveries are via boats and tourism is the main source of income. However, it is due to these very reasons that I’m giving you the exact opposite advice. Stay in Venice.
You see, I finally discovered the thing that makes the city so special – people love Venice because of its Venice-ness. Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged Doge's Palace Venice, Hotel, Italians, Italy, McDonalds, Piazza San Marco, St Mark's Basilica, travel, United Parcel Service, Venice
In May of 2000, I had finished some work in Paris and had a couple of weeks off before I was due in London for my next assignment. Looking for an easy way to fill the time, I booked a European bus tour that went through 8 countries in 12 days. It was a whirlwind meant to give you a “taste” of each city.
It was a Contiki tour for ages 18-35. This is a stock photo from their site…
At 27 years old, I was the eldest participant by 7 years. Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged Contiki, England, Funny, Italy, London, Paris, St. Mark's square, Travel and Tourism
This picture we took for the boys…
This one we took for you…
Are you able to read the side of the boat? Allow me to zoom in for you. Continue reading
Got back last night from a fantastic time in Italy. Continue reading
To my writing group: Sorry ladies, I didn’t get those new chapters to you as promised.
To my book club: I didn’t get a chance to read the book.
To my dad: I meant to have a freezer full of home cooked meals for you.
To my sister: Happy birthday! XOXOXO
To my mom: You are the greatest woman I know. Happy mother’s day!
To my readers: Please don’t abandon me.
To my husband: I love you. Let’s go to Italy!
Mom and Dad are moving in to look after the kids and we are off to Italy for two weeks. Huzzah! I am not be taking anything electronic with me (except my e-reader of course) so there will be no posts for a fortnight. I’m sure I’ll have lots to share upon my return.
Ciao!
Posted in General
Tagged Family, Happy Mother's Day, Home, Italy, Mom and Dad, Mother, Mothers Day, Parent, Vacation, Writing group
One day last summer, I was chatting with my neighbour over the fence. Her husband and son were going to the cottage and she was staying home to spend the evening with a very good girlfriend.
“How nice! What do you guys have planned?” I was so excited for her.
She was also very excited, “We’re going to grab dinner and then do a bit of shopping.”
…crickets chirped…
“You’re going shopping?” I tried to make this sound pleasant, but I couldn’t pull it off. Even with that big grin plastered on my face. “You have a night home alone and you are going shopping?” My distaste was palpable.
I honestly do not remember the rest of the conversation because my brain went into a protective mode and all talk of malls and sales were blocked from my hippocampus. Continue reading
I had planned to write a lighthearted post about how we ate tonight’s dinner out on the deck for the first time since last summer. It would have been funny because I was also going to tell you about how one of the neighbour boys just sat on the backyard swing and watched us eat because he had yet to be called in for his dinner.
I was also planning to quote my husband’s funny admonishment to him about how he had to keep quiet if he was going to stay in the yard because it would be like us coming in to his dining room and watching him eat… ha ha ha.
Instead I’m going to write about this.
5-year-old accidentally kills sister with gun he got as gift – The Globe and Mail Continue reading
Escaping Elegance 