No More Photos …

… of people in the blog.  Shortly after I arrived in Bethesda, Inga showed me that if she googles her full name and checks the “images” icon, she finds photos that I used of her in my blog … and the identification link is to the blog.  I don’t use last names to protect individual privacy, but that doesn’t seem to be working.  My apologies.  Until I figure out how to stop this, I won’t use any more people photos.  I’ll try to find more non-human subjects to help keep the blog readable. 

1 September 2014, Minneapolis MN, Labor Day in the USA

And another day when I am not going to the Minnesota State Fair, largest in the nation.  Been there, done that two or three times many years ago.  I just don’t like crowds well enough to go again.  But I’m happy that the fair gives so many of my friends such enjoyment and a chance to try yet another “fried food on a stick” creation.  Instead I slept in and took it easy, posted the blog, then served dinner at People Serving People and later helped my friend Margo celebrate having completed a very difficult personal task.  Not a bad way to spend the holiday.

2 September

Took my “baby” to Hagen Auto Body (no relation, no discount) to have her dings repainted.  Someone dinged my passenger door so badly that it left a slight dent and a long scratch that had started to rust.  Good opportunity to get that fixed pre-winter salting of the roads.  They did a fantastic job, it took less than a day and the cost was half the estimate!  I am definitely recommending them.

Realized when I posted the blog yesterday I hadn’t downloaded some photos from my phone.  So I will probably add those to today when I post.

Sunset in paradise.
Take at my friend Jean's cabin "up north" last month

3 September

At lunch today with my friend Janet and her granddaughter Zoe, Janet commented that she sometimes had trouble keeping days of the week straight.  I told her that my brother Dan had warned me about that hazard of retirement where in essence every day is Saturday.  And on top of that, as I said to Janet, we don’t go to church, so we don’t have that weekly touchstone.  Honestly, if it weren’t for six-days-a-week water ex with a different instruction each time I wouldn’t know what day it is.  

Zoe's sister Sydney was in Uganda for two weeks.  A professional photographer, she took some gorgeous photos.  And she had the chance to attend and photograph a wedding ceremony.

4 September

I am dumbfounded that Joan Rivers has died.  What a unique voice, literally and figuratively, she has been for so much of my adult life.  Outspoken, brash, sometimes off-putting, always honest.  Authentic.  Now I’ve lost two people who could always make me laugh … her and Robin Williams.  Though I found him a bit too manic sometimes, and was never a “Mork & Mindy” fan, he had the ability to tap so many different kinds of funny bones. And he was surprisingly good in dramatic roles too.  Someone posted a quote of attributed to him on the white board by the Y pool that says, “You’re only given one little spark of madness.  You have to use it.”  He surely did.

Later

Chris dropped off Lily for a long weekend.  He and Jen are going to see my brother and sister-in-law at their desert place.  So I get to have Lily, who was originally my cat, for a few days.  The minute he opened the cat carrier, she slinked into my bedroom and hid under the bed.

5 September, my late son Peter’s birthday, my nephew/Godson Craig’s birthday and actor Michael Keaton’s birthday

Always a difficult day.  It’s hard to believe Peter would’ve been 42 today.  Of course he’s still 26 in my head and always will be.  And I miss him today and always will.  

Plans are for Craig and his family, my sister and I to have dinner and celebrate Craig’s birthday.  Several family members have a “bug,” so I’m on hold until this afternoon for a celebration-no celebration decision.  In the meantime, I’m off to Northfield to spend the day with Lois.  Peter was her first husband Walt’s last baptism.  During one of our recent visits, Lois gave me an old photo of her, Walt, Bob, Peter and me not long before Walt died. I treasure  it and those memories.

I heard on the radio today that it’s Michael Keaton’s birthday.  I don’t recall knowing that and wonder if Peter did.  Michael Keaton was one of his favorite actors.  Peter painted a huge portrait of the actor in a high school art class.  It used to hang in our living room in St. Louis Park but is one of several pieces that got lost over the years of moving to and fro.

7 September, Marilou’s birthday … and Spike’s too

Gorgeous day to celebrate MET’s birthday with brunch on the patio at Eat Street Social, her spot of choice as she loves their burgers.  And hers was perfect as was the panna cotta that she received for her ‘birthday dessert.’  I took a free day from my cleanse/detox and enjoyed fried egg BLT with cheddar cheese, consumed open faced on one slice of sour dough bread.  My dessert was a pretzel-bread pudding with some kind of gooey sauce and a vanilla cream dollop on top.  Well worth the calories!  And Marilou liked the artisan Bloody Mary mix that I gave her.

Happy birthday to my buddy, Spike, who lives with his parents Karen and Larry and big bro Jonah in the Boston area.  I was in London when Spike was born nine years ago and was the first “stranger” to meet him.  Two days earlier, on Peter’s birthday, Jonah and I spent a delightful afternoon at Regent’s Park Zoo.

8 September

I was very disappointed to read an article about which colleges/universities have the highest income diversity in today’s New York Times.  Because my alma mater does ”blind admissions” (applicants are admitted, then their financial situation is addressed), I had expected to find Northwestern in the upper ranks.  Not.  We were in the minuses, well below much of the Ivy League!  I’ll be interested to see if this issue is addressed in any of the newsletters/magazines that I receive from NU.

9 September

What a wonderful day.  No water ex.  The Y’s pool is closed this week for cleaning.  So I slept in guilt free.  Then relaxed over coffee and crosswords on the deck with Lily.  We both enjoyed the weather, a perfect fall day.  A few pre-travel household chores like changing and washing bed linens.  Then off to have breakfast with Anne, a friend from way back that I haven’t seen in a couple of years so lots of catching up to do.  Anne worked in management at the original Marriott out near the airport back when this corporate-owned inn was a client of the PR agency where I worked.  It was my first big account; Anne was our liaison.  Early ‘70s and we had a great time producing special events.  Even won a few national awards.  A former Northwest Airlines flight attendant, Anne now has a web site and blog dedicated to NWA and the old days of flying.  One of her friends is a 90-year-old male flight attendant who met all the job requirements and was still doing three Minneapolis-Tokyo flights a month.  His retirement made the local paper and Anne was quoted, along with mentions for her web site. 

In the afternoon a bit of ironing, then I picked up Janet & Ed’s granddaughter Zoe who’s going to give my condo a good cleaning and keep doing that on a monthly basis.  i’d so much rather pay her than a service.  While Zoe cleaned, I’d drove to Janet & Ed’s to touch base with their son Thom who is going to take me to the airport at some ungodly hour tomorrow.  My flight is at 6:55 am.

Dinner with my sister Barbara, nephew Christopher and his sweetie Jen at the new Nicollet Cafe that we’ve been waiting for such a long time to open.  Excellent burgers, fries, onion rings and malts for them … so-so caesar salad for me but the chicken was good perfectly.  Outstanding breakfast menu for a “free day” — or when I take Christopher for breakfast on a Friday morning or meet Sabrina and family.

Shortly I’m off to bed.  Just need to close the suitcase and unplug and pack the laptop.

10 September, Bethesda MD USA

Arrived safely and soundly in DC 15 minutes early.  Way to go, Sun Country!  I’ll be with Inga and the girls for three weeks.

11 September, one of those days when we all remember where we were when …

I was at my friend Jean’s in San Francisco, trying to decide if I’d get out of bed, when I heard the phone ring. It was Jean’s sister in Minneapolis, and she told us about the first airplane.  Like so many, we were glued to the television much of the day, then we went to services at her synagogue that evening.

12 September

My niece Dyana has moved to Bethesda for her new job.  She joined Frankie, Tosia and me for dinner tonight.  I baked salmon.  It was great to see her.  She did well in her double marathon in San Francisco and is already planning a re-run next year.  I promised to show her some good trails in this area as her apartment’s location is all sidewalks on busy streets.

13 September

Inga and her friend Mary left early Friday for Ohio and a gigantic antiques fair.  Before leaving, she mentioned a Polish picnic at Glen Echo Park.  The girls weren’t excited about going, but we agree to give it a try.  We went to brunch at the Irish Inn right next door to the park. As we go to the park, it started to pour and continued.  We visited the picnic for a bit, rode the park’s carousel, then went home soaked.

15 September

“Salad bar!”  That’s what my brother heard from a flock of mountain goats? sheep? as they toddled down the street in LaQuinta where he and Ann spend the occasional non-winter week as well as much of the winter.  Then the hungry critters proceeded to make lunch of the lawn.  Got some pix today.  

Lunch is served!

When Christopher and Jen visited two weeks, LaQuinta-Palm Springs area got 2.5 inches of rain in an hour.  That’s as much rain as the region usually gets in a YEAR.  Got those pix too.  I wondered if D&A’s house were more valuable now that it’s on a lake.

View from Dan & Ann's back window.

18 September, Scottish Independence Vote Day

Don’t know how I want the “Motherland” to vote.  Having lived in two countries which are newly independent (South Sudan and Kosovo), I can understand the desire.  Then there’s the issue of me getting a European passport, which is a handy thing to have when you travel as I do.  The UK says I can’t have a passport because I was born before 1980 and my birth wasn’t registered at a UK Embassy … I was hoping an independent Scotland would be a bit more open, like Ireland. But I’m also a traditionalist in many ways, so the idea of the UK including Scotland seems appropriate too.  Glad I don’t have to decide and vote. 

Spent the afternoon helping Inga clean out David’s closet — not clothing, just papers, papers and more papers and a bunch of CDs too.  Found a collection of stickers from David’s childhood along with some notes from our Peace Corps training that I had found during my own storage cleaning in 2010 and sent to him — his and Tim’s humorous intro to a morning training session, including “Top 18 Reasons Why We Want to Get Out of Poland TERAZ!”  I’m going to send that one on to Tim.

19 September

Well, a huge turnout in the Motherland and a relatively close pro-union vote:  55% for remaining in the UK, 45 % voting for independence … and almost 85% of eligible voters voting.  When was the last time we even saw 50+% in the US vote on anything?  In other news, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, better known by its location in Scotland, St. Andrew’s, voted yesterday to finally accept women as members.  That change will be implemented immediately while UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s promises to Scotland of more say in their governance will take some months, years.  Enough news for today.

20 September

So last night we’ve finished dinner at a local chain restaurant that has generally good food — Inga and Antonia, Adam, an artist friend of Inga’s, Kim, our Peace Corps friend, and I.  I’m wrested the check as I wanted to buy dinner as my ‘thank you’ to Inga for the bed and board.  We were waiting from someone to take the check and my credit card when Adam said to Kim that something was crawling on the wooden frame of the banquette behind me.  A cockroach.  He called over to two nearby wait staff and pointed it out.  I turned to look because I had thought Adam was joking.  But no, there it was, moving toward a split between the wood frame and padded back.  I tried unsuccessfully to trap it in my napkin, but the cloth was too thick to get sufficient purchase.  Finally the young man who’d served our wine at the start of the evening came over.  He apologized for the cockroach, said their exterminator would cover a “substantial portion” of our check, left and returned a few minutes later to announce that the entire dinner was on house.  Since I wanted to leave a tip, he ran a check for 3 cents … I added a $25 tip to cover our meal service.

27 September

Busy week. Last Sunday Inga and I went to Sugarloaf Mountain Park for some hiking with her friends Benja and husband Paweł and another couple and their children.  Perfect day for a hike, sunny, not too hot, not too cold, occasional breeze. Decent trails except for the rocks.  Afterwards we had a picnic at a nearby winery.  Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Four days of yoga and Pilates.  I have been exceedingly faithful to my exercise commitment.  But also catching up with old friends.  Had lunch with Stacey and breakfast with Dyana last week.  This week lunch with Peggy on Monday in Friendship Heights and Wednesday lunch with Regina at Passion Fin next to the yoga studio.  Frankie passed her driver’s test on Thursday — hurray.  She and Inga had quite a wait despite being early for the appointment.  Frankie passed despite a “mean” examiner who kept yelling at her.  When she was done, he told Inga she was a good driver.  I think the examiner was testing to see if she’d get rattled, and she didn’t.  Nice work, Frankie.

Tonight we went to McLean for dinner with Bogna, Jarek and their sons.  And I learned that Bogna’s got a food blog.  She was taking pictures of the all-vegetarian … and I must add, all-delicious … meal she’d prepared for us.  I can’t wait to get the recipes.  I’m going to try to add the link into this but if I don’t, it’s called My Pots and Frills and is on Blogspot, like mine.

http://mypotsandfrills.blogspot.com

29 September

Up early to take Inga to the hospital for her surgery.  Unfortunately the doctor wasn’t able to do what she’d planned, but otherwise she’s okay.  Inga’s been resting off and on all day.

Went to use the upstairs bathroom and found a visitor — a giant leaping cricket.  Took forever to capture.  It kept jumping just out of my reach until I finally got him in the sink.  It was kind of ironic because when Inga’s friend Mary and her daughter stopped over with cake last night, we were talking about bugs — stink bugs, of which there are too many, crickets and more.

30 September

Last day of the month and a Skype call for a condo board meeting.  Just a few more days in Bethesda, then home again.

Lily enjoyed the deck at my condo when she visited while Christopher & Jen were in LaQuinta.  I'm glad I'll get a chance to enjoy it when I'm back home.  In the meantime, the deck at Inga's is where I have my morning coffee and a fantastic substitute.

Home again, home again …

7 July, Warsaw, Poland

Ah, the wonders of technology.  Yet again I cannot check in on line with KLM.  (And of course it’s raining too.)  You may recall I had this problem when I tried to check in for Glasgow.  Today I cabbed to the airport, and even the desk reps couldn't figure out what was wrong.  Finally they were able to do something and accomplish the feat, complete with boarding passes.  Now off to dinner with Iza.

Highlights of Poland

• While in Sandomierz, I was able to swim laps three days in a row.  Only managed 45 minutes of laps and water ex, not bad considering how little I’ve done.  Interestingly, there was no lifeguard despite half a dozen or more swimmers, including quite a few junior-high-aged kids.  I was definitely not at Blaisdell Y.
• I love my waterproof iPod Shuffle.  Definitely helps make swimming laps less boring.
• Halina asked me to pick up a face cleanser that she likes when I went to Rossmoor.  Thought I had the right one but got a “milk” not a lotion.  I had the receipt so told her I’d exchange it.  She was sure that was impossible.  I declared that since Poland was now in the EU, it should behave as such … and as she watched, made the exchange in my best Polish and paid the modest difference in prices.  
• Halina’s sister-in-law Małgosia arrived from Lublin on Thursday to stay the long weekend while Hala went to a conference in Konin.  Małgosia will help Halina’s husband Michał and the day nurse take care of Hala’s invalid father; he does nothing for himself now, including eating.  I’m so glad hall finally got the nurse; now Michał isn’t stuck at home all day
• I checked with my friend Ewa whose mother had had a stroke the day I returned to Poland.  Her mother passed away over the weekend, and Ewa was making funeral arrangements. 
• My friend whose husband died unexpectedly earlier this year is doing pretty well under the circumstances.  I’m hoping to see her when she comes to the US to visit her family.
• Spent a lovely morning yesterday with Franiu; he wasn’t feeling well over the weekend.  Nothing major, probably acquiring a new tooth or two.  Dorota decided to give him a “mental health” day off from preschool.  His grandmother couldn’t babysit until after noon, so I took the morning shift.  Franiu is getting used to me and was very patient with my bad Polish. I was sitting on the sofa reading when a wind up mouse crossed my path.  For the next 20 minutes or so, we aimed him back and forth between us.

Later Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Holland

Small, small world.  The other day a friend went to the hypermarket in Warsaw and bought way more than she could schlep home on the Metro.  As she’s pondering this, who should appear and offer her a ride — Paula, a mutual friend that she hadn’t seen in ages.

So I’m waiting to get off my crack-of-dawn WAW-AMS flight.  I grab my big tote from the overhead and notice a suitcase with a luggage tag with Paula’s husband’s business card but don’t see him … then I hear Paula’s voice.  She and her daughter had been sitting diagonally across the aisle from me.  We chatted as we walked toward our transfers and promised to keep in touch.  Her daughter is moving to Belgrade to teach in the international school.  I’ll connect her with Violane, Aleksandra, Aleks and others in Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo.

8 July, Minneapolis MN USA

Home at last.  Drove to Whole Foods to stock up since my cupboards are bare.  Kept trying to shift gears with my left hand.  New habits die hard.

Minneapolis is getting ready for the baseball All-Star Game next week.  Lots of activities planned, bus routes will be altered, mobs of people will descend on downtown … and on the free parking on my street.

Craig & Alijah at the lake.
Craig is great about sending photos.

12 July

Definitely getting back into the swing of things.  Returned to water ex on Wednesday (why do I always return after a vacation on boot camp day?).  Had Connie give me a cut-and-color (I no longer look like a skunk).  Served dinner at People Serving People both Thursday and Friday evenings. 

The Light Rail’s Green Line started operation while I was overseas and runs between the two downtowns (Minneapolis and St. Paul).  Last night my sister Barbara and I will ride this new train for the first time.  We’re going to downtown St. Paul for dinner tonight at a favorite restaurant Pazzaluna. Slick.  I could have a glass of wine with dinner … two even … and not worry about driving.

Lake Harriet on a Monday walk

13 July

My feet and back are killing me.  Went to water ex, had a quick lunch, then took a bus with my sister to Uptown, the Bastille Day celebration that was benefitting People Serving People, a nonprofit helping homeless families where I often volunteer to serve dinner.  Although I wore my tennis shoes, I was mostly standing helping ensure people put their trash in the right bins (compost, recycle, landfill).  Good for the environment, but not for my bod.  Now to sit with my feet up for a while and let the naproxen kick in.

15 July

Internet working again.  Apparently “leaking” means some of the connections were not as tight as they should be.  He tightened all of them, we checked the upload and download speeds online and all is working.  Didn’t take more than 15 minutes.

16 July

Almost did it again.  Because of the All-Star Game at Target Field a few blocks from where my sister lives, parking at her condo was a nightmare.  Ditto sitting in the single-lane, one-way private street between her building and another.  Three times someone came up behind me and since I had no place to pull into, I had to go around the block … and first time I went to turn left, I caught myself heading to the left lane and quickly “righted” myself.  Street traffic wasn’t as bad as I had expected, given rush hour and All-Star activities; the game started at 7:30 pm.

I was picking up Barbara because she had redeemed Guthrie Theater vouchers for two tickets to “My Fair Lady.”  She’s a volunteer usher and gets vouchers for so many hours of work.  Anyway, the production was wonderful — beautiful voices, incredible choreography, an always-interesting story.  Easy to see why it’s been so often sold out.

Just saw in the NYTimes that Kenneth Gray died.  He was the congressman who represented Southern Illinois when I was a reporter there, a Democrat in a staunchly Republican enclave.  He was good at “pork,” every little hamlet had a post office and post master/mistress.  The local school district got more in federal aid than local taxes.  Interestingly, the obit didn’t cite his chairmanship of the committee that oversaw parks in DC. Seems to me he refused permits for the peace rally on the National Mall. 

Shortly, I’m off to the Lynx (women’s basketball) game with my friend/neighbor MaryAnne.  We’ll do lunch at the arena.

Later

Lynx won in a closely played game.  Arena was full of summer camp/day care kids in colorful tee-shirts and good voice.  Lots of fun.  Will consider getting some tickets for next season.

18 July, Jean’s cabin near Side Lake in northern Minnesota

After a frustrating morning yesterday — my Internet worked at 7 am but not at 10, I hit the road for Jean’s cabin between Hibbing and Chisolm.  Pretty smooth trip with minimal road work delays.  Now that’s a wonder.  Although I was sure I’d remember the route, I wanted to check the last few turns so I pulled to the side of the road and got out my iPhone to check the mapping app.  I was so engrossed in that that I didn’t notice the flashing red and blue lights of a police car behind me until someone — a young police officer — rapped on my window and nearly gave me a heart attack.  I was so rattled that I couldn’t find the window buttons and opened the door a bit instead.  He just wanted to make sure everything was okay, which I confirmed.  Then we both went on our way.

Sunrise at Jean's cabin

Today Comcast is supposed to come out to finally fix things.  I talked to three different people yesterday.  I don’t think the first one knew what to do with an angry customer, and while I didn’t literally yell, I was very emphatic about my displeasure.  The second fellow did lots of diagnostics and said the problem was “outside,” not in my unit or equipment.  The third one wanted to make an appointment, and we had a clear communication breakdown which was partly my fault.  I reiterated to him several times that I would not be at home today, but he made the appointment for late this afternoon.  I suspect the repair person will want to get into my unit afterwards … Anyway, I asked my sister to check on Saturday to see if it’s working.

19 July

Text message from my sister: Internet at my place still not working.  ‘Nuff said on that.

We’ve seen a number of young deer along the road.  One was standing watching as Jean and I took our morning walk on Friday.  Today two raced across the road ahead of us when we returned from the leaving garbage and recyclables at the Solid Waste Collection Point, aka the garbage dump.

Jean’s daughter Lisa is here, and on Friday her high school friend Lori stopped for an overnight on her way to a music gig north of Duluth.  She “sang for her supper” this afternoon while we sat under the warmth of a beautiful day.  I was so relaxed that I dozed off for a few minutes.

21 July

Excruciatingly hot day … 90F+ in Hibbing MN!  Jean and I went into Hibbing for my pedicure and her manicure this afternoon.  A local friend of hers recommended a salon, and we made an afternoon — lunch, shopping, mani/pedi.  I have gorgeous toes for my new Crocs’ flip flops.

22 July

Apparently we had quite a storm last night.  Terrible winds, electricity went out for several hours, Internet not working now. As most often happens, I slept through the entire thing.  Jean said she came into my bedroom to close the window and I didn’t budge.  So it’s kinda chilly outside at 6:30 am, a far sight different from last night when I was still sweating when I went to bed.  Temp got up to the mid 90sF (high 30sC) yesterday when we went into Hibbing to run errands, have lunch and get a pedicure (me) and manicure (Jean).  Shortly I have to leave this little spot of paradise.  Going to drive the “old way” and stop in Grand Rapids for lunch with my friend Anne.  We worked together at The St. Paul many years ago, and she and her husband Peter were living in Baltimore when I was in DC helping David and Inga last year.  In the meantime, Peter retired and they returned to Grand Rapids, where they’d lived pre Baltimore.

23 July

My late mother’s 97th birthday.  My nephew says I’m turning into “the general,” as she was fondly called by her husband and kids.  And I admit, I do hear her in my voice and head way too often.  Miss her.

25 July, Minneapolis

Well, let’s see.  An uneventful drive back from “up north” after a delightful lunch with Anne in Grand Rapids.  We googled our old boss and learned that he’s mayor of a small community on the North Shore of Lake Superior.  Interesting.

Have, I hope, finished with Comcast for this round, other than what I’ll pay for the month’s (lack of) service.  One rep promised me $30 off, I told the last one that I didn’t want to pay anything and yesterday I got a formulaic apology from them with a $20 credit noted.  So, I will make a call at some point today.  At least, for now, the Internet is working.

Among the throw-aways in my mail on Tuesday was a keeper — a letter from the IRS indicating they wanted more tax money for 2012.  I’ve been in touch with my investment advisor/brother and the accountant who did that return.  We disagree that I owe, so I’ll send a letter today.

Spent much of yesterday afternoon and evening finalizing last month’s blog, including uploading photos to Shutterfly and ordering some prints. Jan, who was on the Scotland trip, gave me a handmade photo book from Kenya, where she lives/works.  I want to fill it with Scotland photos.  Ordering is no easy task from Shutterfly.  It is the most cumbersome site I’ve ever tried to buy from.  They automatically list an order of one print from every photo, then you have to delete those you don’t want individually, acknowledging a popup, then scrolling back to where you were among your photos to start that all over.

Arrived at the Y this morning for my 7:15 shallow-water exercise class … and the place was in darkness.  We’d had a storm in the wee hours, one I actually heard around 5 am when I got up to close my sliding glass door.  Apparently a lot of that section of the city was without power.  Several of us decided to wait a bit, and within about 20 minutes, there was light … and class.  Now it’s kind of ugly out and I’m hoping it won’t rain out the Twins’ game that I’m going to with Susan tonight.  My first venture to the “new” stadium.

26 July

Twins lost badly to the Chicago White Sox last night … but the Polish sausage from Kramarczuk’s was fantastic.

This weekend is the annual arts’ festival in my neighborhood park.  Decided to walk over and called friend/neighbor MaryAnne who was available to go along.  Lots of interesting funky stuff that is so fitting of this neighborhood.  Diverse, eclectic, colorful.  We both bought some small handmade, fabric zippered bags to have as gifts.  

27 July

Got a great surprise when I learned that friends Jim and Irina were in the Cities from Moldova. 

Jim was the project manager for my first USAID project in 1994, the one that established the Center in Sandomierz.  For my interview, he and Halina met me at a train station halfway between Nowy Sacz, where I did my Peace Corps service, and Sandomierz, where the Center is.  When Jim asked how he’d know me, I said, “Look for the Pillsbury Dough Boy.”  It was a frigid Polish winter and although I loved my warm down coat, it did nothing to improve my appearance.  He recognized me immediately while Hala looked baffled. Pillsbury’s giggling mascot hadn’t made an appearance in Poland yet.

A few years later, when Jim accepted a job with Land O’ Lakes international development, he, Irina and Oscar, their cat, lived in my condo for three months while they looked for a house.  Jim recommended me to Kim at Booz Allen for the Macedonia job.  Jim’s and my tenures in Belgrade overlapped a little, and when I attended a wedding there a year or so later, I stayed with them.  So I was over the mountain when I had an email from Jim asking if I was in Minneapolis as they were in St. Paul.  They were here to continue the process of reducing what’s in storage after selling their St. Paul home, plus Jim has two motorcycles stored.  

29 July

Jury duty started at 1:30 yesterday afternoon.  Boring, boring, boring.  Several panels have been called but none included me.  So I read magazines and my Kindle, watched Netflix or did email on my laptop, knitted, snacked too much and chatted with my jury duty comrades.  Ditto today.  Thankfully we got out early, around 3:50, yesterday and today.

Early dinner with Marilou at Red Lobster.  Long time since I’ve been there.  Always fun to catch up with her.

30 July

Picked up my friend Kathy at the airport tonight, after the condo board meeting.  Kathy’s husband Chuck’s first yahrzeit is tomorrow.  This visit is mostly to honor that.  We’ll spread some of his ashes in places meaningful to their relationship and just visit others.  Although he was born in Florida and lived in several places before moving to Minnesota, Chuck liked this place best.  And he moved here from California in a January!  

31 July, Chuck Thagard’s yahrzeit

A pretty quiet day, Kathy ran lakes while I went to water ex.  We planned her visits to spread some of Chuck’s ashes in favorite places and met Sally for dinner at Loring Kitchen.  

My jury pool is now on call-in status.  I need to call into the courthouse at 12:15 pm and 6:30 pm to hear if I need to report.  What a pain!

1 August

Kathy went to the Uptown Art Fair with Sally and found two adorable handmade, reversible sun dresses for her granddaughters.  Absolutely beautiful, full of color and patterns and designed to be worn for several years and through any season.  She also bought a photo of Split Rock Lighthouse, where we’ll go tomorrow.  It’s gorgeous and looks more like a painting than a photograph.  Later Sally and I went to Temple Israel to her my old boss Roland speak.  He gave a bit of the synagogue’s history; his father had been one of its rabbis.  Rabbi Minda died in 1977, and I remember attending his funeral where his activism in community and Jewish causes was extolled.  It was wonderful to see Roland and reminded me that I need to organize another time when I can bring Lois to Minneapolis for another “Minda PR” luncheon.  

Kathy started the oven at Sally’s so dinner was ready when we returned from the synagogue. Lovely end to a lovely day.

2 August

A long but wonderful day.  We drove up to the North Shore of Lake Superior.  Left very early and met Kathy’s friend Nancy along the way, left her car in a hotel parking lot and continued onward.  We stopped at the halfway mark, Hinkley where Kathy indulged in a “Tobie’s famous cinnamon roll” and I in a Morning Glory muffin, and all of us in hot coffee.  Been years said I had one of those muffins and worth breaking all my eating rules to have one.  And I normally don’t stop at Tobey’s; it’s way too crowded and touristy now.  Anyway, …

Beautiful day for the trip and not much traffic heading north except on lakeside route in Two Harbors.  That town does seem to be doing well though, which is nice to see.  It’s where Grandma’s Marathon starts, so brings back memories of those three feats.  Kathy and I ran her first marathon, Grandma’s, in ’89; took us 5+ hours even on Tylenol 3 at the last big hill.  She still runs, including marathons.

Split Rock Lighthouse

Kathy & Nancy at Gooseberry Falls

We stopped at Gooseberry Falls and left a bit of Chuck.  I got post cards for my kids’ mailing list; 25 cents a card wasn’t a bad price for a souvenir shop.  Next stop Split Rock Lighthouse where we saw a brief film on the lighthouse’s origins and did a short tour.  Then we drove into the state park and found a path to the shoreline where we left more of Chuck.  Kathy connected with a former Target Corp. colleague, and he and his wife joined us for a late lunch in Duluth’s Canal Park area.  What a mad house.  Bumper to bumper cars inching along.  Amazingly found a parking space but cars were parked so poorly that I misidentified my space number and had to pay twice.  But all worth the hassle — good food, good company, good times.  The return trip was an uneventful as the morning drive had been.

3 August

Oh, my aching legs!  I think we walked 10 miles today … after exercising (I at water ex and Kathy at her LA Fitness class).  After lunch at an Applebee’s in the general location of our old neighborhoods, we drove to French Park where Kathy and Chuck used to walk. … and walked a circuit of the park until we found a beach to leave some of him.  Then we found his old apartment building and left a bit of him in the garden there.

Red Stag restaurant across the river was hosting “In Cahoots,” a five local-brewery festival this afternoon.  We decided to try that before going to Monte Carlo for dinner.  Walking under the hot August sun, sweat was pouring by the time we arrived, and after getting a beer (Kathy) and cider/beer (me), we finally found a bit of shade.  Too many people, too-loud music.  So we walked to Lund’s on Central Avenue for water and a potty break.  That done, we continued kinda in the direction of home and went to the Monte Carlo, a very East Coast-steak house place, where Kathy could get a martini to honor another Chuck memory.  The cold air conditioning was most welcome, and the walleye was delicious.  Then back into the slightly less warm sun and home where I have collapsed, never to rise again.

My nephew Christopher & his sweetie Jen
at his friend Eric's wedding. Chris was best man.

5 August

Up before dawn to take Kath to her 5:30 am flight back to Atlanta.  I’m so glad she came and we had time to remember Chuck and good times and places of our “single” days here.  Now to see if I can fall back to sleep …

6 August

Yep, amazinglyI fell back asleep for a while.  Hurray.

Went to a reception tonight at the home of another Northwestern alumna, Sally.  She is someone I know that I have met in the past but cannot remember when; neither can she.  Must cogitate on that one.  Had a lovely time meeting younger female alums.  Sally and the other hostess Jennifer are part of the Council of 100, an organization of successful alumnae who mentor others.  Met some wonderful women.  Must figure out where Sally and I met before.  Keep connecting her with my old boss Roland, but he owned a PR agency and she was in finance …

9 August, Jean’s cabin near Side Lake in northern Minnesota

Three glasses of wine, a great dinner and sunset over the lake with Jean and Janet.  What a way to end the day.

Janet and I drove up to Jean’s early this morning and will stay until Monday.  Always nice to return to paradise for a respite.

Landmark at highway rest stop
on I-35 to Duluth

11 August, Minneapolis MN

Easy drive back from Jean’s cabin today as Janet can drive a stick shift.  Short but restful few days much enjoyed and appreciated.  Janet treated us to dinner at Grandma’s in Hibbing — broiled walleye all ‘round in celebration of being “up north at the lake.”  On the way home today, Janet and I stopped at Cassady’s in Hinckley for lunch — BLT for her, burger and fries for me (my last for a long, long time!  I have got to get back to more healthful and less caloric eating).

Tonight I walked to the downtown branch of the library for a Talk of the Stacks with J.A. Jance, a mystery series writer that I enjoy reading.  She was early so started a Q&A with the audience before her talk.  She’s a great oral story teller as well as writer, and that’s not always the case.  I remember years ago taking my friend Marilou to the Minnesota Press Club to hear a newspaper columnist  known for his wit that we both enjoyed.  His talk was pretty flat and nothing like his writing.  So I’m always pleased when a writer can speak well too.

Back to water ex tomorrow.

12 August

Our alley has been re-paved.  Hurray.  We got an announcement a while back and today they did the deed.  I watched from my deck while I had coffee and worked my morning crosswords.

My deck

More importantly, I had lunch today with Barbara, a friend from my St. Paul Companies’ days, who now works for the United Church of Christ.  She took me to see a senior residential facility that she spearheaded for older GLBT persons.  Spirit on Lake is one of the few such facilities in the country, the only one in the Upper Midwest.  To qualify as an affordable housing facility under federal law, the units need to be open to anyone who meets the income criteria.  While a majority of the residents are older GLBT persons, interestingly the remaining units are mostly rented by East Africans.  Barbara who is called the facility’s matriarch introduced me to its manager Kathleen who has been a driving force in building a community there, not just a bunch of rentals.  

13 August

Met Janet’s granddaughter Sydney for breakfast to give her a few more items for her trip to Uganda.  She’s gotten her visa, shots etc. and leaves next week.  This evening I dropped off my pressure sox and some euro for her breakfast when she transfers through Amsterdam.

Water ex this morning was funny.  Andrew subbed for Lindsey and not only had to do everything from the deck (on land) but he had to mime because he had a limited voice.  Vigorous work out and lots of laughs.

So this afternoon, I decided to clean my bedroom from top to bottom.  Oiled the furniture, dusted photos, changed bedding, Windexed the mirrors and glass surfaces … even the sliding glass doors (they were so filthy, I used a dozen paper towel sheets).  Cleaning those big windows and replacing the sheer curtains with new, cleaner ones was a challenge.  I had pulled a muscle in my right arm in the morning so it ached throughout, especially as I reached to take down and put back up the curtain rods.  But it’s done!  Now, what room should I attack next?

14 August

Finally calibrated my new pedometer but obviously did something wrong. I KNOW I walked more than 211 steps from noon until 9 pm.  I really am no good at equipment.  Maybe my sister can help me tomorrow.

I think I understand why we have a bee deficit.  They can’t find their way.  I have been plagued by a bee, the kind that sting and also pollinate flowers, while sitting on my deck each morning this week.  I do not understand why on earth this little stinger bothers with me, who is constantly swatting at it.  Just across the way my neighbor MaryAnne has a gorgeous flower garden on her deck full of beautiful blooming flowers eager for bees.

15 August, David’s yahrzeit

A quiet time on the deck this morning to remember my dear friend David, then a drive to Northfield to spend time with Lois who turned 89 on 1 August.  

16 August, my late former father-in-law’s birthday

(August is a BIG month for birthdays in my world.)

Well, I almost didn’t make it to Lois’.  After gassing up the car at Costco just west of downtown, I drove back into the city on I-94 unsure if I’d continue through the tunnel or leave the highway at the Dunwoody Institute exit and return a mlle or so further, as some trucks must do.  In general, I don’t like going through the tunnel.  I’ve gotten many a scare from driver’s who don’t understand you don’t pass in a tunnel.  And on the entry ramp from I-94, traffic is always incredibly slow if not inching along regardless of time of day.  As I hit the rise just before the Dunwoody exit, I could see a line of red lights, slowed and was about to do a quick glance to ensure a clear lane to the right so I could change lanes . Then I realized the car in front of me, which had no brake lights on, was not driving slowly forward to close a three or four car gap.  It was stopped dead.  I wasn’t going very fast but still had to stand on the brakes to stop … and did, about six inches from its back bumper.  My heart thudded as I checked for traffic, then got into the exit lane.  Passing the car I’d nearly rear-ended, I saw the driver — a white-haired man who could barely see over the steering wheel — and his equally diminutive and white-haired female passenger.  I wonder if he’s taken the AARP senior citizens safe driving course?

17 August, my sister Barbara’s (and the late American hero Davy Crockett’s) birthday

Walked uptown to/from Murray’s, a fine old Minneapolis institution, to celebrate Barbara’s birthday with her, Christopher and Jen. Exceptional steak dinner, as expected.  Barbara loves hers very rare, and Murray’s is the place to go for that.  Owner Tim Murray sent over a small chocolate cake complete with candle which we shared; just the right amount for each for dessert.  Lovely end to an otherwise gray day. 

My beautiful sister & niece.
We celebrated their birthdays early when T was
in Minneapolis.

19 August, my niece Tomery's birthday

A curious light circled the sky through the clouds over my neighborhood tonight.  Reminded me of those search lights used for car dealership grand openings … or to announce Batman, but seemed far to high in the sky for one of those lights to reach.  Hmm, a UFO?  And a couple of Blackhawk helicopters noisily flew low over downtown … not nearly the noise level nor count of last night but noticeable.  One seemed to skim the rooftop of the nearby convention center.  Some kind of national security exercise is taking place here, hence the extremely low flying military helicopters.  And Blackhawks are notoriously noisy.  Apparently lots of complaints about that as well as rattling windows and such. Who says Minneapolis is a dull place to live?

21 August

Went to a Twins’ game last night with Susan again … and they lost again.  We left at the end of the 7th inning again.  But another evening of camaraderie and good sausage-hotdogs.

When I left this morning to walk into town to take part in a mock trial, it was raining.  Actually pouring and windy; walking wasn’t my best idea of the day.  But I had volunteered for the mock trial when I was at jury duty and the location was an easy walk.  Indoors all day and no windows.  So when I exited at 5:30, I was flabbergasted to be hit by a heat wave and very high humidity.  I called my friend Judy who lives closer to the center that I, and we met for a glass of wine and small plate while the temp cooled a little.  Nice way to end the day.

23 August

Today would have been my late father’s 98th birthday.  Although he died 20+ years ago, I still miss him.  He and my brother-in-law Steve were great pals, perhaps bonding initially over a common first name but later over shared interests like fishing and beer and sports.  Seeing Steve tomorrow will be a tiny bit like seeing my dad.  I called Steve tonight to tell him that.

25 August

What a weekend!  Saturday morning, I picked up Aideen and Mickey at the airport.  It’s Mickey that I take care of in DC when his mom, Aideen, has to travel internationally.  We stopped at Kowalski’s to finish off the grocery shopping and my neighborhood liquor store for some wine.  Did a pit stop at my condo (and checked to be sure dryer had stopped), then off to the “north woods.”  We spent two nights at Janet & Ed’s cabin.

Unfortunately my nephew John and his wife Heather weren’t able to come over for dinner.  They were going to bring along a niece and nephew that they were babysitting, but the infant got pink eye, not something you want to have around if you can avoid it.  So I missed a chance to see them.  But Sunday, Steve and Elyse, their oldest son David, his wife Heidi and their sons Sam and John joined us for lakeside fun and BBQ.  Their daughter Evie was visiting with a friend.  The three boys had a great time.  David helped them bait fishing lines, and the worms attracted a school of blue gills.  Mickey’s first attempt at fishing.  Steve grilled Polish sausage, hotdogs and ‘burgers.  We had a feast of cold salads, various snacks and dips, and a delicious chocolate mousse cake.  We’re lucky we didn’t all roll down the hill into the lake.

Today as we cleaned up the cabin and packed to return to Minneapolis, Mickey asked if he could come back next year.  So I guess this was a successful venture.

Except maybe in one area.  I used the wrong dishwashing liquid … and the dishwasher spewed out bubbles onto the kitchen floor and assorted bath towels for about an hour before it was finally done.  Well, the dishwasher and floor are definitely clean!  Did a full load of wet towels for Janet, contrary to her orders to leave the dirty linens/towels.  

We went to Paul Bunyan Land, where the giant woodsman greeted Mickey by name, to his surprise.  This theme park is en route to Brainerd, and we stopped for an hour or so.  Mickey loved the bumper cars best, but tried out the Tilt A Whirl, Ferris Wheel and others rides, then we went next door to “This Old Farm” with its vintage displays of cars, housing and shops, a petting zoo. 

Quick stop at Steve and Elyse’s house to drop off a travel mug she forgot and extra juice boxes that I’ll never need, then onto the highway southeastward.  Amazingly the traffic wasn’t bad.  Steve had predicted, and I had expected, bumper to bumper once I got close to the Cities.  Not.  But in the other direction, the freeway was anything but moving freely.

27 August

Quiet here as Aideen and Mickey are flying back to DC now.  I’m going to miss them.  It was such fun having them here and seeing how much Mickey especially enjoyed going to the cabin.  If I’d known he would be so enthused, I would’ve planned to stay at least another day.  Next time!

Yesterday we three and Janet and Ed’s grandson James took the light rail to St. Paul and visited the Science Museum of Minnesota.  Although we got a late start, the boys seemed to have a good time.  Definitely a place that requires almost a whole day.  So much to do and lots that is interactive.  And Mickey and James got along well too. 

This morning we walked up to Keys, a famous local cafe noted for its breakfasts, to have a late  breakfast.  Then on to the IDS Center and Minnesota store for souvenirs.  I had hoped for a quick trip to the top of the IDS so Mickey and Aideen would see the city … but we’re 20 years too late.  It’s been closed that long … and it’s obviously been way longer than that since I was up there.

Got a text from ATT that I was out of data, so I went on line to up my plan.  Not.  More frustration with communications’ providers.  Tried using Safari and Firefox and couldn’t make the website work properly.  Did a lengthy online chat with someone, followed all of her instructions to a T … still no success. She was going to transfer me to accounting … and I lost everything on the screen and was faced with a “contact us” page. Used that to call the 800 number, got the changes made after that helpful person encountered a few glitches.  She transferred me to a technical person to share my web site issue with … but she seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.  She did take notes and agreed to “find out who to give the information to.”  Ah, ain’t all these newfangled systems great.

Mickey back home on a new sofa bed
that I'll get to test in October

29 August

Big drops rained onto our heads as friend/neighbor MaryAnne and I returned from our “happy hour” late lunch and trip to Lund’s for a few groceries.  Now it’s pouring.  Water ex, long walk, light breakfast and lunch.  I feel totally justified in hitting the couch with my Kindle.  Here I go …

31 August

Happy birthday to Mark whose birthday I always remember cuz it falls on my former wedding anniversary.

Lovely day of sleeping late, water ex, a bit of housework and a drive to Stillwater with my sister Barbara and friend Marilyn for dinner along the St. Croix River.  Perfect weather.  Now to close the sliding door to the deck … it’s pouring and almost time for bed.

Summer’s over.  Labor Day is really early this year.  Last day of Minnesota State Fair is tomorrow.  Kids go back to school on Tuesday.  

Berger Fountain in Loring Park

.

Scotland

1 June 2014, Chopin Airport, Warsaw, Poland

Computers are supposed to make our lives easier right?  If that’s the case, then why, oh why, was checking in online last night such a nightmare?

I was sitting in my room at the Marriott Courtyard, literally across the street from the airport, selected to make getting to a 6:05 am flight easier.  That worked.  However, six or eight tries to check in a bag online with KLM failed.  “System error” kept coming back.  Since KLM apparently now charges for any checked bags on intra-Europe flights, I wanted to do this online to save; it’s twice as dear at the airport.  I tried two different credit cards in case the original one was causing the problem. Nope.  Finally I gave up and went to dinner with friends.  Thinking the problem might’ve been the hotel’s excruciatingly slow Internet connection, we stopped at my friend Marta’s flat where I often stay and have easy and fast Internet access.  That’s when I learned that I’d somehow checked in without checking a bag.  Marta and I roamed the website and could not find any place to add a suitcase.

The baggage thing niggled at my brain far more than it should’ve and kept me sleepless for a while.  At 3:30 am I arose after about two hours sleep.  Quick shower, re-pack and walk across to the airport, already teeming with people at 4 am.  Frustrating lines to get boarding passes, then to drop and pay for the bag.  Alas, the agent’s computer would not accept payment.  So, I had to go all the way across the departures hall to the KLM office and return with a receipt to have my bag finally added to the conveyor belt.  Security check went more smoothly and quickly than usual.  Whew.

Welcome to #19 Dalblair Rd., Ayr

2 June 2014, Ayr, Scotland

Yesterday I connected easily at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam with friend Bob, who flew in from Kabul, Afghanistan, and we flew together to Glasgow.  We picked up his rental car, and the navigator (read: I) only got us lost three times trying to find the highway from the airport to Ayr.  I have a thing about taking the scenic route and making good use of roundabouts.

En route to Ayr we stopped in Ardrossan to book tickets on the ferry for today.  We’ll do a three-hour Mogabout tour on the Isle of Arran.  More on that once I know what it is; Bob booked it online.

Rain plus the many detours took their toll on our driving time, but Adeline who owns this row house was waiting for us with the red doors open in welcome.  She gave us a tour, showed us how things worked, then departed for her seaside caravan.  Lovely lady with a warm smile.

The house is everything I would want it to be — sunny and warm, cozy and roomy, and friendly and welcoming.  I’m going to have a great month here!

Later

Despite the rain and drizzle, the Mogabout tour was awesome.  A Unimog is a huge truck chassis that Alex, our guide and owner of the company, had re-outfitted into a 16-seat bus.  The passengers sit up quite high for excellent viewing, and the huge tires make easy work of rough terrain in Arran’s national forests and elsewhere.  

Bob & Unibog

Alex, a fire service manager in Glasgow who grew up on the island,  was a terrific guide.  He started the company a few years ago in anticipation of his retirement.  He mixes local stories with details about the natural resources and historic sites we saw.  He’s got a permit to get into parts of the forest that others cannot, hence we got a unique view of the Isle of Arran as well as its neighbor, Holy Island which is now owned by a Buddhist sect that operates a retreat center there as well as a second center to which women retreat for four years!  Day trips are also possible.  Holy Island’s spiritual heritage dates back to the 6th Century.

I’ll post a lot of photos to give you an idea of what we saw.  Without the Unimog, we would never have been able to climb most of the narrow dirt roads we took.  We saw Glenashdale Falls, the Giants’ Graves, a 5000+ year old chambered cairn burial site, and one of many sets of stone circles (ala Stonehenge) on the island.

Ruins of Giants Graves

Remnants of stone circle

Bob and I had admired the beauty of some large flowering shrubs as we walked to meet the tour. Alex told the group they were Quantum Rhododendron, a pretty but invasive species that can no longer be planted on the island because it’s squeezing out other plant life. And we did see a lot of it everywhere, from manicured lawns/gardens to the wilds of the forest.

From an Arran hillside, we watched a herd of cows follow the “head cow” and become a ribbon of lumbering black and white as they trekked in from the field to be milked.  Alex told us that this farm averages two million litres of milk per year, twice the national average, and it’s virtually all used by the local creamery.  The farmer is a fanatic about his cows, their pasturing, grain and silage, milking them three times a day (not the usual two).  He routinely wins milk-quality awards … and the creamery wins cheese-making awards too.

Various interests in the Arran community came together and successfully lobbied for a no-take zone in the waters between the two islands at Lamlash Bay.  They recognized that the maerl coral, fish and seafood were gone and needed time to renew. And the embargo is well policed to ensure compliance.  Established in fall 2008, this is Scotland’s first no-take zone.  The “community coming together” was a frequent theme of Alex’s as he talked of Arran.

"No Take Zone" between Arran
and tiny Holy Island

4 June

For Christmas a couple of years ago my brother Dan gave me a lovely book called “Seven Roundabouts to Heaven.”  After today, Bob might’ve wanted to write one called “A Dozen Roundabouts to Hell.”  

Dorota, husband Jacek and son Franek arrived at Prestwick from Warsaw yesterday, and spent time getting to know Ayr and helping me shop for sustenance.  Dorota was my first Polish teacher during Peace Corps training in 1991.  Today they decided to have an adventure:  They took the train to Edinburgh to see the castle and will return this evening.  So Bob and I decided to drive over to Mom’s hometown, Stevenston, where he could have his picture taken below an “Elderly People” sign. 

The infamous sign

Like me, Bob prefers local roads to highways, and that’s where the trouble arose.  The detailed map I had just wasn’t detailed enough … and the directional signs for towns let me down around Kilwinning.  We did eventually get to Stevenston, but somehow I missed New Street, where my cousin and I had our pictures taken two years ago.  More roundabouts, then my phone rang.  It was Alfreda who was already at the Ayr train station.  I met Alfred when she worked at the USAID mission in Macedonia and I was managing a Booz Allen project there.  She’d flown in from her new post, Senegal, via Amsterdam, then taken the train from Glasgow.  She was going to find a cafe and eat lunch while she waited the 20 or so minutes we’d need to find her.  This time I didn’t get us lost! 

Found Alfreda easily at a cafe across from the train station and drove her to the B&B.  She’s staying in the same one I stayed at last year.  Magdalena, who’s from Poland, was such a great hostess and was able to give Alfreda space for her whole trip.  I brought Magdalena a box of Polish candies, which she loved.

The Tree House in Ayr

Alfreda, Bob and I went to the Tree House restaurant for dinner. On my “cousins and nieces” trip two years ago, we had our first dinner in Ayr here.  The nieces had lobster mac, and much to our surprise, it came with chips (french fries).  Since then, I’ve learned that most everything here comes with chips.  I believe my forebears like their chips almost as much as they like their whisky.  (BTW, do not call it Scotch here.  It’s just plain whisky without the “e.”)  Alfreda and I shared a “sticky toffee pudding sundae,” a deliciously decadent dessert with two inches of freshly whipped cream on top.  We fobbed most of that off to Bob who was having ice cream with chocolate sauce and Bailey’s.

5 July

A very wet yet smiling Dorota and family returned around 9:30 last night.  A deluge hit just as they left the castle.  Since they had off-peak tickets for the train, they had to wait an hour before they could start the journey home.

This morning I got up early and drove to Glasgow airport (GLA) with Bob who was flying out to the US.  I picked up a rental car, practiced driving around for an hour, then parked it while I waited for Jan … almost the last one out.  I was beginning to think she’d missed her flight.  (Jan and I worked together at Women for Women International, my last lengthy overseas job in South Sudan.) 

Wanting to find a shorter route to Ayr, I tested a few more roundabouts, only to get us royally confused as the map appeared to be all wrong … but we finally made it to Ayr.

11 June, Brodick, Isle of Arran

I’ve been so busy having a good time and helping to ensure my friends do too that I haven’t written a word in days.   Weather has alternated between rain, drizzle and sunshine, often doing the former two until late in the afternoon, then the latter until sundown at 11 pm or so.  So, now to play catch up —

In a train station returning from Edinburgh, Jacek had found a brochure about a folk music festival on Arran Island that he wanted to visit, along with the Arran distillery.  So on Friday (6th) he, Dorota, Franiu and I drove to Ardrossan, parked the car and crossed on the ferry. 

Ardrossan-Arran ferry awaits

We sat on ferry’s deck for much of the crossing.  Since the folk festival had a free open mike session starting at noon on the outdoor deck at the Douglas Hotel, Dorota and I bought lunches for everyone at the branch of the Cooperative, a food store we see everywhere, and we ate at a picnic table listening to the music.  The first fellow that we heard sang a bunch of songs that Granny had taught me, like “You Canna Push Your Granny Off the Bus.”  I quietly sang along.

After lunch, we hopped on the island bus toward the distillery … then I realized that I didn’t have my eye glasses, just my sun glasses.  I got off and hiked back to Brodick, arranging to meet the others at the ferry in time to leave.  Returned to the Coop which had four pairs of glasses in its Lost and Found, none mine.  Looked along the sidewalk, checked the picnic table at the Douglas, even asking the current user, went into the hotel bar and down to the restroom.  No luck.  Walking down the steps toward the picnic table, I was resigning myself to my loss when the sun hit a lens … and there they were, sitting in the stones by the picnic table.  Not sure how I missed them before, very glad no one stepped on them.  I enjoyed the sunshine and music while I waited for the others to return.  

On Saturday Dorota and family set off for a rainy day in Glasgow, then returned on Sunday especially to see an art gallery and collection of interest.  

Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery
in Glasgow

I made two airport runs on Saturday, very early in the morning to pick up Kathy, arriving from Atlanta, and in the early evening to pick up Sally, arriving from Athens.  Kathy and I went through our divorces and subsequent dating adventures together back in the mid ‘80s.  Sally is the friend who organized the house in Acapulco where I used to vacation once a year.

Jan, Kathy and Alfreda went to dinner at Saffy’s while I was gone because many (most?) restaurant kitchens close at 8 pm here. 

A favorite eatery

I wasn’t sure I’d return in time … and I didn’t.  British Airways lost Sally’s suitcase, and she was 15th in line to do the paperwork.  She had a few things in her carry on, but I promised to lend her a nightgown and anything else she needed until it arrived.  We were able to get carry-out soup from Saffy’s and had that with some cheese and bread for dinner.  (Sally’s suitcase finally arrived tonight … five days after she did.  Since it arrived before we did, our neighbor took it in.)

Alfreda, Kathy and I walked the seafront route to Alloway, location of the Robert Burns Museum and house where the famous Scottish poet was born, then walked home — all in a driving rain.  Glad I bought rain boots.  Jan had rented a bicycle and was cycling a lot.  She’s done much of the coast path that’s shown on the sign along The Lang Scottish Mile at the seafront.  Rain hasn’t stopped her, and she biked to meet us at Burns’ cottage before heading out again. 

Kathy, Jan and Alfreda had visited Culzean Castle, south of Ayr, already and highly recommended we go.  Jacek said that if they were visiting a castle, it had to rain, and when we four visited Culzean on Monday, it rained pretty heavily much of the time.  Ah, the weather of Scotland.  But it doesn’t deter us.  We are nothing if not an adventurous group.

Jacek photographs
Culzean Castle

Franiu enjoys kids' park

One snipe?

My lady's bathtub

 

Culzean is located atop a hill along the seafront with awesome views.  It is described in its brochure as a “family friendly place.” The Culzean Country Park has loads of well maintained walking paths, woodlands and wildlife (we saw some deer), a swan pond (we saw lots of ducks and ducklings and two swans), a playground for children (Franiu had a great time despite the wet weather), a walled garden (we walked through to get to the playground) and more.  

Interesting tidbits:

• The Kennedys were once a powerful Scottish family descended from Robert the Bruce, and Culzean was their home.
• Culzean is pronounced coo LEAN.  What appears as a “z” was originally a Celtic letter that can’t be duplicated in Roman letters.  A zed was selected to add cache to the name and isn’t pronounced.
• While parts of the castle existed for centuries, it wasn’t until the mid 18th Century that it became a grand country house. The Scottish architect Robert Adam was brought in design something in keeping with the family’s status and wealth.  The castle is a masterpiece of Adam’s architecture which he never got to see completed (nor did the Kennedy who commissioned him).
• Taken over by the Scottish National Trust in 1945, the top floor was converted into an apartment for US General Eisenhower who visited on four occasions, including while he was US president.

Early Tuesday morning, I drove Dorota, Jacek and Franiu to Prestwick for their Ryanair flight back to Warsaw, then Kathy, Sally, Jan and I drove to Ardrossan to take the ferry (with the car) across to Arran for my third trip to this not-so-little piece of paradise.  We stayed overnight at Drimla Cottage, a lovely house owned by Dave and Patty, friends of Kathy’s who graciously gave her the keys and directions.  Dave’s from Arran. 

Sally, Kathy, Jan outside
Drimla Cottage on Arran

For two days, we explored, walked, toured the distillery, ate well and generally had a relaxing time.  Jan did most of the driving, which was great for me (and I suspect for everyone else’s nerves.  I still have a habit of driving too far to the left, despite my best efforts).

14 June, Ayr

The house feels empty today.  This morning I drove Kathy and Sally to the airport.  Kathy’s flight on Virgin to Orlando left at 10, and Sally was staying over at the airport Holiday Inn to catch an 

early BA flight tomorrow.  While I had the house to myself on Thursday while Kathy, Sally and Jan went to Edinburgh, that was different.  I knew two of the three were returning; Jan was going to a hotel so she could catch an early Friday flight.  Today is different — I feel a bit lonely.  The cousins arrive on Monday, so I have time to change beds, clean bathrooms, do some laundry.  The work will do me good.

Yesterday Kathy suggested a journey to Dumphries House and Crossraguel Abbey.  So right after lunch at home, she, Sally and I hopped in the car and off we went to the countryside.  My left-side driving is improving a lot.  I don’t get rattled by the fast moving buses and lorries in the other lane as I did two years ago en route to St. Andrew’s.

Dumphries House only does guided tours, and we were in time for a “house tour,” as opposed to an “art tour” or “grand tour.”  The was designed and built by the Adam brothers, Robert, John and James, in the mid 18th Century for the 5th Earl of Dumphries.  The earl, a widower, spared no expense in trying to create a “honey trap” to attract a new wife.  The house is Palladian style, a very balanced design, and all of the furnishings are original to the house. These furnishings were among the earliest commissions for one of the leading Scottish cabinet makers, Thomas Chippendale.

Interesting tidbits:  

• Dumphries House was saved from public auction by the intervention of HRH Prince Charles in 2007 when he headed a consortium of charities and heritage organizations to buy the house, its contents and the estate.
• It was the second house in the country to be wired for electricity.
• 10 percent of all remaining original Chippendales are in Dumphries House.
• One Chippendale cabinet alone has been valued at 20 million pounds.
• Many of the rooms have carpets topped with runners for visitors to use because the carpets are all originals.  The runners match the patterns of the underlaying carpet.
• The earl didn’t get the bride he built the house for.

While I’m not a fan of guided tours, this one was interesting, informative and generally kept moving (except for one gabby woman at one point).  Before visiting the house, we’d crossed the Adam Bridge into a relatively new arboretum.  Kathy told us that the tall evergreens were called Wellingtons, so I had to get a photo.  We couldn’t get into the walled garden as it won’t be open until July; it’s being rehabbed. 

Chapel at Crossraguel Abbey

After leaving Dumphries, we headed over to Crossraguel Abbey, a Benedictine abbey that was built on an ancient holy site and is now in ruins.  Much of the ruins we saw were built in the 14th and 15th Centuries.   Originally built in the mid 13th Century, the abbey was sacked during the Wars of Independence from England.  When the Reformation ended monastic life, the remaining monks could finish life there but no new ones were added.

15 June, Ayr

What a way to start the day and week.  Poor Sally only got sicker and called the doctor yesterday … and me this morning.  She could not get on her BA flight today and needed help to cancel and re-book.  Ah, BA, the airline that lost her luggage for four days and couldn’t seem to communicate effectively beyond “retrieval process initiated.”  Thankfully Sally had sent me a paper copy of her itinerary where I found the emergency number for her travel agent.  Although it took almost 90 minutes (thank you, Skype Out), Tequan and I managed to get Sally cancelled for today and re-booked for Tuesday. Hooray.

Important words for travelers, especially international travelers.  It is extremely difficult to change anything if you’ve already checked in (as I learned a few years ago in South Sudan) or if it’s within a couple of hours of the flight (like today).  In those cases, changes have to be handled at the gate … and getting to a gate agent is not easy.

I called Sally to report on her flights, which I had also double checked on the BA web site.  She’s all set and will walk across to GLA tomorrow to pay for the ticket.  I’ll call her house sitter in Minneapolis to report the change and check on Sally later.  Now for some coffee!

Later

Talked to Sally just after dinner tonight, and she sounds (and says she feels) better.  I had thought I’d ask my cousin Tooz to check on her when Tooz et al. arrive tomorrow morning … but now they don’t arrive until Tuesday morning.  Their USAir flight was cancelled.  That seems to have been happening a lot lately.  An outgoing USAir flight from GLA was cancelled on Thursday.

Got some exercise today.  Once Sally was sorted this morning, I headed next door to the Mercure Hotel pool for 40 minutes of swimming laps and water exercise.  After a delicious “sticky Mexican chicken” special for lunch at Saffy’s, I walked the Auld Lang Scot’s Mile and then some, taking photos along the way.  It was a gorgeous sunny, breezy, warm but not hot day.  The seafront was well populated with folks of every age and stripe, from infants in arms to elders in wheelchairs, from gray hairs to pink hairs to no hairs.  A surprising number of people were actually in the water, which can’t be that warm.  Felt great to be outdoors breathing fresh sea air.

16 June

Just talked to Sally who sounds 100 percent better.  And BA isn’t charging her for the change.  

Because the wi fi wasn’t working this morning, I had to call our landlady, Adeline … must’ve been a loose connection as she suggested because once I pushed them all in, it’s working.  I am going to take a bus over to her caravan park at Heads of Ayr for a bit of outdoor air and sun.  In the meantime, I’ve finished making beds, laundering towels, shopping and eating lunch.  Oh, and I started a photo album of this trip.  Kathy’s wonderful photo album on Shutterfly inspired me.  Will have to figure out how to post.

Later

Took a bus to/from Heads of Ayr where Adeline lives in a new caravan.  It’s one bedroom and quite cozy, and the park is well kept, orderly and has a pub and restaurant too.  The flowers I brought her (per my Polish manners) actually matched the decor.  We had a lovely visit and a wee walk down to the seashore.  While we were sitting on boulders by the sea, two 20-something young men came by and asked about continuing along the shoreline to Ayr.  Adeline wasn’t sure if that was possible.  They took the path up the hill and were going to walk the hard road.  At a bus stop on the way home, they climbed on and I chided them about not hiking it.  They were busing because they were already late to watch a World Cup game.

17 June

Cousins finally arrived! 

Daniel, Mag/Kathy, Dan

Daniel, my cousin’s son, arrived late last night from Greece, where his wife is completing her first overseas State Department posting.  Daniel drove to the airport to get his parents, Dan and Mag, and Aunt Tooz (Melanie) first thing this morning.  After fish and chips at Wellington’s, they are off on their first adventure — the Robert Burns house and museum and Culzean Castle.

Yesterday not only did I finish a photo album AND post it on Facebook, but I went to the pool and swam and did water ex for almost 40 minutes.  Because i went to the pool late, I was starving; my blood sugar was way down.  So I didn’t even try to do an hour.  Came home and made a big salad with all the left over veggies and the last piece of some cooked salmon I’d bought.  Treated myself to a piece of carrot cake.  Not sure it was worth the calories, but I ate it anyway.

When I returned from Adeline’s yesterday, the wi-fi wouldn’t connect with my laptop.  Tried off and on all evening.  The British Telephone wi-fi kept coming up, but even though I paid for it, that would not connect either.  I’m canceling the charges.

This morning I re-booted the wi-fi system, and now it’s working.  I had thought it was my laptop since the wi-fi was connected on my iPhone.  But Daniel couldn’t get his iPhone or laptop to connect, I decided to take more drastic action as Adeline had suggested.  That’s what it took.

And after one funny attempt, I posted my Scotland album on Facebook.  My first try posted only the photo of the two cows at Crossraguel Abbey, which at least added some humor, right?  

19 June

What a great day.  Melanie, Mag and I took a bus to Turnberry while Dan and Daniel played golf at the old course in Prestwick. 

Mag/Kathy and Melanie/Tooz
on bus to Turnberry

We were in search of a High Tea experience.  I googled high tea in Ayrshire and found a handful of places that looked reachable by foot and/or bus and a place that would provide a memorable experience for Melanie and Mag who have never had High Tea.  When I talked to the Tourist Info rep, she recommended Turnberry Resort, just 45 minutes away on the bus.

The resort receptionist asked if we’d like to have a “wee nosey” while we waited for our tea time (we were more than an hour early.  Buses only run once an hour, and we didn’t want to be late).  And off we went to explore the resort … the history corridor with pictures of famous guests and golfers (Princes Andrew and Edward, pro golfers Arnold Palmer and Greg Norman were recognizable), the luxurious spa (day passes are only 20 pounds !!!), the sunny “1906” breakfast room, gift shop (where we shopped), beautiful grounds that overlook two golf courses on the seafront.

Tea was everything I remembered from my London High Tea a few years ago.  A tea trolley was rolled to the table and individual pots of tea made.  A small rack with three hour glasses was left to tell us when our tea had steeped.  Ours had black sand for our black tea.  Once we tasted the tea, Melanie asked for hotter water; the tea was tepid.

Two tiers on the serving pieces had crustless tea sandwiches — cucumber, and egg with water cress, plus half of a very mini bagel with lox, a whole mini bagel with ham, cheese and tomato chutney, a diagonal cut of French baguette with coronation (curried) chicken salad.  The top layer was desserts — tiny fruit tarts, pistachio-walnut cake, a mini glass of orange cheesecake, blueberry macaroons with amaretto infusers.  Once we’d polished all of this, and we basically had, plates with lemon cake, fruit cake and two kinds of scones were brought, along with clotted cream and strawberry jam.  We were stuffed and happy as we hustled down the hill to the bus stop. 

I got off the bus on Miller Road to see if Sabrina and Mark and their son Christopher had arrived from St. Paul. 

Sabrina & Christopher

Mark relaxes in our yard

Christopher loved the park

Sabrina and I were in the same Peace Corps group; Mark was the one following us.  Christopher is one of my five “adopted” grandchildren.  I’d left them a note before we went to Turnberry.  Apparently they arrived just a few minutes after I had been there.  They came over to the house and met the cousins, then while Sabrina stayed to enjoy the back garden, Mark took Christopher to the playground.  Afterwards, we all went next door to Smiths for dinner.  Christopher who hadn’t slept on the plane nor since fell asleep in his chair waiting for his pizza.  He reminded me of a photo I have of my late son Peter about the same age doing the same thing — just too exhausted to stay awake.

20 June

A day tramping in cemeteries. 

Auld Kirk cemetery in Stevenston

After breakfast, we drove two cars to Stevenston, Mom’s home town, in search of great grandparents’ graves.  Mark found the headstone that Margaret Biggam placed for her father and mother (our great-great grandparents).  As on previous trips, found lots of familiar surnames likely with familial connections, but no John and Margaret Barrowman Fisher or William and Jane Lindsay Vallance.  We even scoured the newer, large cemetery on the road into town and the dilapidated one by the Auld Kirk.  Lunch in the garden as Pop In, in memory of Pop (my Hungarian-American dad) … and because we had few choices. 

As we prepared to leave, I realized that we’d been on New Street but seen no “Elderly People” signs.

21 June

The cousins were up at dawn, getting ready to leave for Glasgow and their day trip into the lower western Highlands.  Reminded me of Mom’s leavings from her visits to wherever I lived, always very early morning.  But as then, I was up to give them a proper “thank you and so long” send off.  They drove their car to the airport Holiday Inn where they’ll all stay.  Daniel has a crack-of-dawn flight back to Athens tomorrow.  Dan, Mag and Tooz will take the bus into Glasgow and see the town on Sunday, then leave early Monday.  

Sabrina, Mark and Christopher came over, and we visited for a while, then went to Sainsbury’s so they could stock up for the long trip to Ullapool.  I picked up a couple of things for my final week, then cheated and took a bus home.  I had planned to walk.

I spent the rest of the day getting ready for Jane and for my own leaving — stripped linens from all the beds, ensured all the used towels were dry and made neat piles of each for Adeline, re-made a bed for Jane, ran the vacuum cleaner, which ate one of my favorite socks.  I cannot figure out how to open the canister to retrieve it.  Also found a white sock of Daniel’s that I’ll add to Adeline’s rag bag.  Guess I’ll leave her my black knee-high as she’ll eventually have to open the canister to change filters.

Late in the afternoon I did about 45 minutes in the swimming pool.  Boy, did I need that!

25 June

Took the bus to Prestwick on Sunday to meet Jane and arrived way early, so I had one of those Starbuck’s frozen coffee drinks and read while I waited.  Her flight on Ryan Air from Dublin was right on time.  We spent the rest of the day relaxing — she’d had a lot of travel from US to Dublin and around the international flower show there, then here.  After dinner at Smith’s, we enjoyed the Irish coffees Jane made with ingredients she bought at the Jamieson’s distillery.

Monday, after a leisurely morning, we did a long walk around town, stopping for lunch at a cafe-gallery that I’ve been wanting to try.  As we passed the Ayr Bowling Club, Jane tried peaking over the stone fence while I tried the door, which opened.  Two women bowlers were leaving and invited us to to watch a tournament yesterday afternoon.  So, again after a leisurely morning, we had lunch (this time at Saffy’s), then went to the bowling club where we watched bowling on the green.  The only other “spectator” was a man who kindly helped us understand what we were seeing.  I think he was the club manager. 

Jane learns about
lawn bowling balls

Bowling on the green is more like Italian bocce than US bowling, but interesting to watch.  All of the women wore some shade of gray trousers and white blouses/shirts, so we couldn’t tell Ayr from the away team, Troon.

After the bowling, we walked over to the High Street and Rabbie’s Drams for a bit of shopping for souvenirs for family and friends.  And I did it again.  Got home and could not find my eyeglasses which had been atop my head.  Retraced my steps with no luck and had given into finally losing them.  Then this morning saw them upside down on the kitchen floor near the table.  Cannot believe we didn’t see … or worse, step on … them.  My charitable deductions will definitely be increased this year!

Oh, part of our leisurely morning was less than leisurely as we navigated the car rental sites.  After a few phone calls, we finally got a Fiat 500 rented for two days.  We’ll drive to Greenock one day and do a South Ayrshire day tour the other.

The evening saw us enjoying Irish coffee …

Now we’re off to Glasgow. …

Later

Walked my legs off today,but it was worthwhile.  Had a wonderful day in Glasgow despite crappy weather.  After taking the train to Glasgow, Jane and I walked virtually the rest of the day.  She mapped our paths to the places we wanted to see and off we went down Argyle Street from the Central Train Station.  We had lunch at a lovely cafeteria with an interesting array of salads that we sampled.  Then we walked to the Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery under cloudy skies.  We passed a lawn bowling tournament that was underway.  It was raining when we walked to the Charles Mackintosh house near the University of Glasgow.  We passed the lawn bowlers who continued to bowl.  The Mackintosh house in part of the university’s gallery and only open to tours and none was available to us.  The rain finally stopped after we left the Botanic Garden and stopped for a glass of wine before heading back. 

Part of "Killer Plants" exhibit

Me in the botanical garden

On the way we stopped at a pub for fish and chips, then continued toward the train station … until a taxi conveniently dropped someone near us.  For five pounds we rode to the train and caught the next one to Ayr.  Too pooped to write more.  I’ll show you this day in photos.

Interesting tidbits:

• Residents of Glasgow are called Glaswegians.
• Glasgow will be the site of the Commonwealth Games, a kind of Olympics for nations in the British Commonwealth.  Lots of preparations going on all over the city to help players, fans, visitors find their way.
• Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum was built in the late 19th century and opened in 1902 as the Palace of Fine Arts.  
• The building’s main entrance faces Kelvingrove Park at the back of the museum, not Argyle Street.  It’s an urban myth that the architect jumped from one of the towers when he realized his mistake.  He always intended the entrance to be from the park.
• The museum has many interactive displays for the enjoyment and education of children, and artworks generally include some commentary about the works.
• Admission to Kelvingrove is free, as it is at all Glasgow museums.
• The Kelvingrove organ is the original from the museum’s opening.  A recital on this magnificent instrument was taking place when we arrived.
• A splendid display of work by Charles Rennie Mackintosh includes furniture, ceramics, decorative panels, reconstruction of the famous Ladies Luncheon Room.
• The Glasgow Boys were a loose-knit group of about 20 artists who put Glasgow on the cultural map.  The Boys are considered to be the most significant in Great Britain at the end of the 19th century.  Some of their best work is at the Kelvingrove.

Lovesick woman

"Old Suit" helps young engineers
understand older folks

26 June, Prestwick, Scotland

Picked up a lime green Vauxhall Corsa instead of a Fiat 500.  Boo hoo. The Budget/Avis guy said they haven’t had any available for some time.  Now we’re off to see the southern parts of Ayrshire — Alloway, Culzean Castle etc.  Photo opps.

Dunure Castle ruins south of Ayr

Grave of Robert Burns' father
in Alloway

Walled garden at Culzean 

27 June

There is a God and she loves me.  After a day of driving up the coast to Greenock with stops in Largs for lunch at Scotland’s most famous cafe, restaurant and ice cream parlor, Nardini’s, and assorted other places for photo opps, we headed back toward Ayr mostly on country roads or the coast road.  Finally we decided to drive the last bit on the highway, and I turned onto a roundabout toward, I thought, the highway entrance … but no signs to tell me where to go … then we meet a car coming head on toward us.  She quickly changed lanes, honked and gestured while I, realizing my error, quickly drove onto a big grassy berm, turned around and went the correct way.  Other than a stopped car, no traffic was in the round about.  And I was so tired that I automatically made a right turn, not a left.  

Pictures will tell the story of this fun day visiting Greenock, going round about and up narrow lanes, walking to catch a photo.

28 June, final day in Scotland 

Jane and I were both up with the sun and drinking coffee and before 6 am, eating the croissants we bought at Nardini’s yesterday.  We’d both pretty much finished our packing last night after dinner at Smith’s.  We both had the salmon.

While Jane did her few final packings and checkings, I tossed the last of the towels in the washing machine and cleaned up the kitchen.  Then we were off to the car, still parked where we’d left it, and to Prestwick for Jane’s 8 am flight and to return the car.  It had been such a wonderful week, relaxing, time to catch up, time to visit places I hadn’t seen before and show Jane a few I had and see them a new perspective.  Jane is an avid gardner and her enjoyment of the many gardens, large and small, formal and not, was catching.

After seeing Jane off and catching a bus back to Ayr, I did a few final things in the house, sent Adeline a text message to say I was leaving early and walked to the bus station.  X77 to Glasgow’s Buchanan Street station, then the 500 to the airport.  

Later, Warsaw, Poland

The day was very uneventful until I arrived in Warsaw and switched SIM cards in my phone. A message from Ewa, my friend that I had planned to visit in Puławy.  Her mother had a stroke today and is hospitalized.  So I’ll stay in Warsaw until Monday morning, then catch a bus to Sandomierz for the week.

30 June, Sandomierz, Poland

Last night I was sous chef for cake making so I knew I was back at Hala’s.  Tomorrow is her Name Day, and she needed to make two cakes for the office. Here Name Days are more important to celebrate than birthdays.  They are the Saint’s Day for the saint for whom you’re named.  I will eat as little cake as possible tomorrow … I know I’ll be back to detox when I return to Minneapolis.  My “wheat belly” is huge!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined me in Scotland and made my early 69th birthday celebration such a rousing success.  I posted many photos to Shutterfly as an easier way to share them. You shouldn’t need to sign up to see them.  Here are the links:

https://travelsinscotland2014.shutterfly.com/

https://greenockscotland2014.shutterfly.com/

https://adayinglasgow2014.shutterfly.com/

https://scotlandvisitors.shutterfly.com/