Trains, trains, trains=run, run, run

Right now we are stuck in Genova for an hour, because we believed the hotel man at the front to desk. He gave us bad info....trying to go Rapallo and instead we went right past with no stopping. So here we are waiting to haul all this luggage onto yet another train back to Rapallo. We were feeling pretty smug about being able to run, take the slow elevators to the correct platform and see that the train was 5 minutes late allowing us to make it on the train and then we find out it was not stopping where we thought it would. No worries. Hurry and wait. We just boarded another train back to Rapello. We would have just stayed here tonight but I had already made reservations in Rapallo so another €3.40 for another ticket.

Things are different here, not to mention that not everyone has the decency to speak English! :) I have had to wrap my brain around the fact that the elevators may say floor "0" or "-1"....what is that about??? Some places make you pay to use the toilet, which seems wrong since sometimes there are no paper towels to dry your hands.

Another thing. Every day is laundry day. Sheets, jeans, towels, etc all hanging from people's balconys. And train tunnels everywhere. Wish we had trains in the US like here. Screeching train brakes, short stops making having luggage to deal with a bit difficult. What is with all these shutters? All the buildings seem to have shuttered windows. And old rusty bikes. You hardly see anybody riding a bike to be proud to own!! Such differences in lifestyles. Despite all this, Italy has charm and mostly friendly people. Still enjoying this trip even though we are either running like crazy or twiddling our thumbs while we wait.

First photo shows about all we saw in Genova. Second one is of Sharon waiting for the train with all our luggage. I packed light like we had agreed to do, but Sharon had a harder time sticking to that plan!! Life is an adventure. Overlook the struggles and keep moving forward pushing any worries away. I haven't felt this relaxed in awhile!!

More photos

Today we got a train pass good for the day, which took us to Cinque Terre this morning. The pass was €12 and allowed us to hop on and off as much as we wanted from village to village and use the small bus service as well.

First stop was Monterosso, the northern most village. Then we worked our way down on the train to Vernazza, got lots of good pictures and chatted with people here and there. The weather was warm and sunny. Then we went on the train to Corniglia and since it is high above the train station, we took a bus up to the town, if you can call it that! Such peaceful villages. We only had today to see everything in Cinque Terre and we were in the middle of a late lunch in the most quaint restaurant in Corniglia when we discovered we had not left enough time to catch the bus to get down to the train station to catch the train to Manarola. Oops! After lunch, we had to wait for the bus so had a small cone with gelato. Unfortunately it wasn't as good as I remembered.

When we finally got to the train station, we were told the schedule had changed and the train we needed to get to Manarola was coming much later. After waiting and waiting, it was beginning to get dark and by the time we got on the train we figured we needed to forego seeing both Manarola and Riomaggiore and just get back to our hotel (Hotel Firenze English Continentale.) Part of me was sorry we wouldn't get to all 5 villages but I told Sharon "If you've seen one village, you've seen them all!" So no worries.

After getting to La Spezia we bought our train tickets for Rapallo, Italy, which is a hop, skip and a jump to the Portofino area. Got back to our hotel Room And immediately Began searching for a hotel in Rapello. Good fortune again in that since another traveler that we had talked to said that they enjoyed staying at the Europa Hotel which is just a short walk to from the train station, I called and got a room for €84. She matched the rate I had found online which is a €15 savings from the €99 she quoted. It is always smart to ask!

At about 6:30 pm we went walking, very safe to walk in the evening. We found the outdoor mall and enjoyed seeing lots of people out walking their dogs. Got back to the room at 8:30 or so and that is that! Here are some photos from today's adventures.

Whirlwind First 2 or is it 3 days

I flew Delta straight to Amsterdam on the 10th (Tuesday) at 1:20 pm. Arrived on the 11th at 9:30 am. Finished reading my Fanny Flagg book, listened to music while I tried to sleep....unsuccessfully.....and watched a movie on the pop up screen attached to my seat. I sat next to a nice man who was born in the Netherlands of all things. He and his wife are now US citizens and he was on his way to Basel, Switzerland for a business conference. They fed us plenty of snacks and 2 meals, free wine even. I was surprised to see a canal next to the Amsterdam runway as we landed and the gentleman next to me explained that the airport was built in a  very wet area so they need the canal to keep it from flooding.

After exiting the plane I had to find my way to the right gate to catch the flight to Rome. Quick and pleasant flight but was surprised once again when I discovered that when the flight crew came around offering something to drink, they asked if we wanted milk! I've never seen so any people asking for a cup of milk and have never seen it served as a regular thing.

When I checked my phone after we touched down, I saw that Sharon had sent a text saying she had left a phone message (which I never got) and I gathered she wanted me to take the train  from the airport to Termini. She had planned on being at baggage claim but realized that the airport is so far from Rome proper that it would make more sense for me to catch a train and she could meet me at the Termini train station since we were going to catch another train to Le Spezia, Italy. After a bit of frustration because my texts didn't go through to her and her texts to me were no taking much sense to me, neither one of us was sure the other got our messages! I quickly got a train ticket and when I was halfway to Termini I was finally able to connect with her on my cell phone. All worked out fine and she was waiting for me when I got off the train. Phew.

Then the frenzy began because as we were trying to figure out whether to wait in a long line to buy our train tickets or try using one of the many machines on site and hope we would get it right, we were approached by several people who wanted to "help" us. We were leary. They all seemed to think we were not going to be able to figure it out without their help and when we asked if they were with the train company, of course they said "yes, yes!" It turned out they were all gypsies trying to get money from us for their "help." They were like leeches that we kept trying to brush off! They didn't get our money.

After a long train ride we arrived in Le Spezia at 8 pm, with no reservation! Lucky us, we found a wonderful one across and up a half a block from the train station. I decided to just plow through with no sleep and ignore that I lost a night's sleep. I was getting a bit rummy and having trouble thinking clearly BUT we decided to have "dinner" in the hotel's wine tasting room. Only €5.50 apiece for a glass of wine, nuts and enough horsdourves to take away any hunger. We finally got into bed at 10:15 pm and I was really ready for sleep.

We got up this morning, the 12th, and had the most wonderful complimentary breakfast I have ever seen! The Italian coffee was dark, rich and not bitter  and the food was fabulous. That will be a photo below of the buffet. We get to do that again tomorrow morning. Don't worry, Dave, the room was on the top floor (5th) and was €89 per night with comfy twin beds and included breakfast. A super deal.

I will stop here and post more on today's happenings after I take a shower and get ready to call it a night.

Transition Bikes

Today we drove to Bellingham to visit with our son Kyle, dil Kari and Saben and Annika. We met for a tasty lunch at Keegan's (thanks K&K) then drove over to check out Kyle's new warehouse/office building. It has all the bells and whistles and will soon include a showroom for those who want to visit and buy their bike directly from Transition. It is not completely finished as they need some furniture and wallhangings, etc. but they are getting there!I still can't figure out how to label photos from my cell phone. Drat! Here are some shots of their new building.

This and That

Next week I will be flying to Europe for an almost 3 week trip with my friend, Sharon. Since I am hoping to somehow find time to post my adventures on my blog, I figured I better figure out how to do this. So, here is my first attempt at a moblog with photos. I can't seem to figure out how to  add captions to my photos, so what I have done is post 2 photos of Jason's birthday dinner tonight at our house. Happy Birthday, Jason! 

Next is a photo of the October PatchAbilities design which I stitched up recently.

The last photo is of our Bunco group at my house last month for our monthly dinner bunco gathering.

Shakeology....The Healthiest Meal of the Day

" target="_blank">Why you should drink Shakeology.

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Art Journal 2nd Layout

Whenever I begin a project, I never quite know how it will end up. That's what happened with this layout. I began with some shimmer coral/pink pearlescent powder and smudged it on the surface with my fingers. Then I added some shimmer violet. I've had these small "pots" of color for several years and can't remember just what the product is. I'm glad I didn't get rid of all my art supplies when we moved! I then wrote a couple of paragraphs from the book The Five Little Peppers and how they grew because I like children's books and I bought the book years ago with the intent of reading it, which I have yet to do.

My dear mother-in-law, Jan, had told me that it was one of her favorite book series when she was a child. I figured what a good way this would be to remember my MIL! Of course, the hot peppers are just a reminder of the five children written about in the book. And the big black dog is featured in the book. One day I will get around to reading it. I have a compilation of the stories that was published in 1984, but the stories were actually written by Margaret Sidney from 1881 to 1916.

I used one of my favorite products, acrylic Gesso by Liquitex, to set the powder, dog picture and handwriting. I made a stamp out of a potato to make the puppy paws and found some drawings online of peppers so I could glue them onto the page. All in all, it was a fun page to make and sort of memorialize my mother-in-law.

My Art Journal 2015

It's time to share with you a new project that I have embarked on. I happened on a blog for people that are interested in stretching their artistic muscles. Well, that's me! Check it out
here. I went ahead and ordered my Ranger brand dylusions creative journal from Amazon. You can buy yours here.

It arrived today, so then the fun began.

The first step was to find scraps of paper to glue on to make the background. I used a simple glue stick. Not that it mattered what I used since they will all be pretty well covered up by the end anyway.

Then I brushed on some Acrylic Gesso and used a paper towel to soak up some of the gesso so I could still see through it.

Next it was time for some color. I used some acrylic artist paints. Since we downsized and I got rid of so much stuff I've been hyperventilating over all the tools and products that I no longer have. BUT I still have some supplies so I will use what I have. I brushed on some more gesso to tone the colors down a bit.

Here is my finished page I used a black oil stick for the words "Celebrate" and "Dream," smudging them a bit, a micropen for the written words and a black IDenti-pen for the other words. I also added a couple of pieces of paper tape. After it had set overnight, I sprayed it with fixative to set it.

This journal project involves making a 2-page layout each week for the year. That is 52 of these pages. I entered into this project 3 weeks late, so I will have to catch up. The words I used on this page are: Dream, Love, Believe, Take a Chance, Hope, Create;, Pray, Laugh, Practice, Be Thankful, One Step at a Time, Celebrate and Change. It seemed like words fitting for the beginning of a new year. And I can't help but be inspired by my grandkids!

I'm no sissy!

As we all have heard, “getting old isn’t for sissies.” I’m certainly no sissy! But I am getting older. And it is discouraging. Both Dave and I have had our share of health issues, and we expect them as a normal part of being human. However, as we are home today, on the 4^th of July, I admit that it is easy to begin to feel sorry for ourselves. We should be celebrating with family and friends today, but Dave has had a second round of pneumonia which is sapping his strength and I am still recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. So, home we remain.

I remember quite clearly when we were in our 30’s and 40’s, and feeling invincible, how much our parents and their generation had begun comparing their aches and pains. Wow, is that all older people have to talk about?? Arthritis seemed to be a prevalent topic of comparison. Along with bursitis, back pain, neck pain and other health issues. I remember about 25 years ago when I mentioned to my dad that I had a pain in one of my finger joints and he correctly predicted that it was just arthritis and that one day the pain would be gone and in its place would be a hard bump. My parents were both plagued by arthritis, but amazingly Dave’s parents didn’t seem to suffer from it. Heart issues and cancer were their demise. I know ‘Arthur” can be a hereditary thing and I seem to have received a double whammy. My husband does have a bit of it in his back and neck, where he has bulging discs that have damaged his spine, but not in other typical spots.

We have had to let go of some activities that we took for granted when we were younger, like skiing, softball, hiking, biking, helping friends move, extensive gardening and for me even going on long walks (due to a painful foot due to a softball injury.) We have downsized, eliminating the treacherous staircase on which I had fallen down twice because of a bad knee. We simplified our lives by locating to a home with no lawn and minimal landscape to take care of. Gardening is in my blood and I still like to dig in the dirt a bit and enjoy growing beautiful flowers, herbs and vegetables.

But I digress. Getting older means that our friends are also getting older. We have always gravitated towards people who are several years older than we are, although we have plenty of friends our age as well. I play bunco and pinochle regularly with ladies and I am the “kid.” One of our ladies had a stroke and has had to move in with her daughter in Tacoma, so I won’t be seeing her anymore. I suppose living in an over 55 community means we will be seeing more illness and death of those we care about. I love these ladies and wouldn’t trade this quiet environment for one bustling with loud children and partying teenagers.

Once again, I digress. It isn’t just health issues that showcase the aging process. It is the ever widening gap that we witness between our children’s generation and ours. I love it when our kids and their families are all together. It is so satisfying to see that they like each other and choose to spend time together. Conversations are lively and animated. Our grandchildren are a joy to be around and we love playing with them. However, while the younger generation catches up on the latest news and stories, we find that we have little in common. They don’t know many of our friends and though they try to listen to what we have to share, they really can’t relate. It is really no one’s fault! We certainly don’t blame them. And I don’t blame us! They are young and on the go. We are old and getting slow. One on one is a different matter altogether. There seems to be plenty to talk about. We have each other’s undivided attention. But when our kids and their friends are together, we rather feel like we are on the outside looking in. I remember when my parents went through this same phase of life. They couldn’t relate to the much of the conversations because they really weren’t a part of the younger generation’s lifestyle. I know we are not the only ones who feel just a tad bit “out of it” as we have heard from friends that experience the same things.

When I was young, I could go into a store and have someone right there to ask if they could help me. Oh, yes, I still find that people ask me that, but if there are two or three of us who need help, it is generally the younger ones who are sought out first. I call this “being invisible.”  Maybe it is because the younger people usually have more money to spend. And this reminds me of the movie “Pretty Woman” where Julia Roberts is turned away by an employee in a high end clothing store because she looks like, well, actually like a hooker, which is what she was.  Then, after successfully spending oodles of money at another boutique comes back, dressed to the nines, carrying several bags, and says “Remember me? I was in here yesterday and you turned me away. You work on commission, don't you? Big mistake….big HUGE mistake.” I guess old people really aren’t the only ones who are invisible. Besides, many retired folks have plenty of money to spend.

So, as you can see, the aging process can take a toll. Yet there are those who seem to breeze through these years and are still going strong well into their 90’s. Sadly, that isn’t us. We admire them and sometimes get a twinge of envy, but the reality is that as we are aging we do experience health issues and sore and worn out joints. Statistics show that an estimated 52.5 million adults in the United States reported being told by a doctor that they have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia. Misery loves company, and I am in good company since statistics show that from 2010-2012, 49.7% of adults 65 years or older reported an arthritis diagnosis.  Hallelujah, I guess I’m normal!

Please don’t think that I am whining about our lot in life! Both Dave and I consider ourselves mature enough to realize that the process of living means things can’t stay static. We accept our limitations. I can still hop in the swimming pool and soak up the sunshine. We are reading way more books than ever. And we just purchased a Weber kettle charcoal grill. After all, we do have time to wait for the briquettes to get hot! We live a leisurely life and find great joy in this slower pace. We get to spend quality time with friends and family, eat scrumptious meals at home and one day soon we hope to get back to golfing. My knee needs a few more weeks to heal. God has been gracious with us, as we move through this stage of life. Life isn’t over…..it’s just different.

There is one thing that I hope to purchase soon. Dave has been reluctant, but I want a recliner! I think he is seeing the value of having one these days. One of us could sleep in it when the other is in bed having coughing fits. And recovery from joint surgery would be much more pleasant if I could lay back in one and ice my knee more easily. HA! And I bet we will get helped right away by a sales clerk when he or she sees us looking at recliners!

We all need to learn how to age gracefully….I think I will have Dave make me a margarita and relax on the patio with a nice book. And hold the salt. I don’t need high blood pressure on top of everything else! Here’s to my fellow baby-boomers and beyond!

A Quilt for Saben

I finished this twin-size quilt for my grandson, Saben's, 9th birthday. I was thrilled to find this new fabric by Moda called Zen Chic Spheres. click link to see fabric I used 2 1/2 jelly rolls to make the top and solid blue cotton for the back. I felt this was perfect fabric for a boy.

I love doing the stippling on quilts but one day I will need to venture out and do some more creative quilting. The quilt pattern was called Zig Zag Quilt from a book I already owned called Strip Happy Quilting on a Roll by Donna Kinsey. click here to see book on Amazon I knew from Kari, that Saben wanted a zig zag looking quilt so I hoped this would work out for him. There is much cutting and piecing with this pattern but I love how it turned out.

Jason was down and out with a bad cold so he missed all the fun on Sunday at Pete and Shauna's for the birthday bash. Shauna made some yummy soft taco's for lunch and afterwards it was time to pull out the big guns! Kyle and Kari brought several marshmallow "guns" made from PVC pipe so the adults and Saben played capture the flag in the yard. I sure can't run as fast as I used to! Kari had pulled off another fun birthday party for Saben and his friends on Friday, with each boy putting together the pieces of PVC pipe to make their gun and then used Duct Tape to decorate them. Here are just a few photos of our gang decorating their guns. Unfortunately Shauna's camera was used to get the outdoor shots so I can't post those. :(

The 3 little girls were assigned the task of gathering up all the spent mini-marshmallows on the grass.Shauna has a nice big yard which is perfect for this type of fun. I love my family!